Images of Ancient Greek Pederasty Boys Were Their Gods [Paperback]

This lavishly illustrated book brings together, for the first time, all of the different ways in which vase-painting portrays or refers to pederasty, from scenes of courtship, foreplay, and sex, to scenes of Zeus with his boy-love Ganymede, to painted inscriptions praising the beauty of boys. The book shows how painters used the language of vase-painting to cast pederasty in an idealizing light, portraying it as part of a world in which beautiful elite males display praiseworthy attitudes, such as moderation, and engage in approved activities, such as hunting, athletics, and the symposium. The book also incorporates a comprehensive catalogue of relevant vase-paintings, compiled by noted archaeologist Keith DeVries. It is the most comprehensive treatment available of an institution that has few modern parallels.

Introduction.  Textual Evidence.  The Iconography of Pederasty.  What is Iconography.  Elements of Iconography  1. Courtship.  Courting-gift Scenes.  Other Courtship Iconographies.  2. Ideals/Idealization  3. Consummation  4. Pederasty and the Gods 5. Kalos-inscriptions  6. Vase Dating  7. Fragments.  Conclusion

'This volume will be a much-used starting point for students and scholars of Greek male sexuality.'  Times Higher Education Supplement

'Images of Ancient Greek Pederasty establishes a carefully defined approach to an important and controversial topic. The book examines a considerably wider range of images than has been previously available and locates them in a clear and engaging fashion in a cultural context.' - Helene P. Foley, Barnard College, Columbia University

This book meets a real need. The very fact that the authors' analysis is based on study of approximately lC