Among Women : From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World

Annotation Women's and men's worlds were largely separate in ancient Mediterranean societies, and, in consequence, many women's deepest personal relationships were with other women. Yet relatively little scholarly or popular attention has focused on women's relationships in antiquity, in contrast to recent interest in the relationships between men in ancient Greece and Rome. The essays in this book seek to close this gap by exploring a wide variety of textual and archaeological evidence for women's homosocial and homoerotic relationships from prehistoric Greece to fifth-century CE Egypt. Drawing on developments in feminist theory, gay and lesbian studies, and queer theory, as well as traditional textual and art historical methods, the contributors to this volume examine representations of women's lives with other women, their friendships, and sexual subjectivity. They present new interpretations of the evidence offered by the literary works of Sappho, Ovid, and Lucian; Bronze Age frescoes and Greek vase painting, funerary reliefs, and other artistic representations; and Egyptian legal documents. Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz is Margaret Bundy Scott Professor of Comparative Literature at Hamilton College, where she also coordinates the Kirkland Project for the Study of Gender, Society, and Culture. Lisa Auanger is an editor of the Bibliography of the History of Art at the Getty Research Institute Women's And Men's Worlds Were Largely Separate In Ancient Mediterranean Societies, And, In Consequence, Many Women's Deepest Personal Relationships Were With Other Women. Yet Relatively Little Scholarly Or Popular Attention Has Focused On Women's Relationships In Antiquity, In Contrast To Recent Interest In The Relationships Between Men In Ancient Greece And Rome. The Essays In This Book Seek To Close This Gap By Exploring A Wide Variety Of Textual And Archaeological Evidence For Women's Homosocial And Homoerotic Relationships From Prehistoric Greece To Fifth-century Ce Egypt. Drawing On Developments In Feminist Theory, Gay And Lesbian Studies, And Queer Theory, As Well As Traditional Textual And Art Historical Methods, The Contributors To This Volume Examine Representations Of Women's Lives With Other Women, Their Friendships, And Sexual Subjectivity. They Present New Interpretations Of The Evidence Offered By The Literary Works Of Sappho, Ovid, And Lucian; Bronze Age Frescoes And Greek Vase Painting, Funerary Reliefs, And Other Artistic Representations; And Egyptian Legal Documents.--back Cover. Imag(in)ing A Women's World In Bronze Age Greece: The Frescoes From Xeste 3 At Akrotiri, Thera / Paul Rebak -- Aphrodite Garlanded: Erôs And Poetic Creativity In Sappho And Nossis / Marilyn B. Skinner -- Subjects, Objects, And Erotic Symmetry In Sappho's Fragments / Ellen Greene -- Excavating Women's Homoeroticism In Ancient Greece: The Evidence Fro Attic Vase Painting / Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz -- Women In Relief: Double Consciousness In Classical Attic Tombstones / John G. Younger -- Glimpses Through A Window: An Approach To Roman Female Homoeroticism Through Art Historical And Literary Evidence / Lisa Auanger -- Ovid's Iphis And Ianthe: When Girls Won't Be Girls / Diane T. Pintabone -- Lucian's Leaena And Clonarium: Voyeurism Or A Challenge To Assumptions? / Shelley P. Haley -- Friendship And Physical Desire: The Discourse Of Female Homoeroticism In Fifth-century C.e. Egypt / Terry G. Wilfong. Edited By Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz And Lisa Auanger. 'notes On Contributors': P. 373-374. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 331-371) And Index (p. 375-389). "This book is the most thorough account of female homoerotic materials from the ancient Mediterranean I have yet seen in English.... I can easily see it becoming a standard work on ancient female homoeroticism." --John S. Rundin, Assistant Professor of Classics, University of Texas at San Antonio Women's and men's worlds were largely separate in ancient Mediterranean societies, and, in consequence, many women's deepest personal relationships were with other women. Yet relatively little scholarly or popular attention has focused on women's relationships in antiquity, in contrast to recent interest in the relationships between men in ancient Greece and Rome. The essays in this book seek to close this gap by exploring a wide variety of textual and archaeological evidence for women's homosocial and homoerotic relationships from prehistoric Greece to fifth-century CE Egypt. Drawing on developments in feminist theory, gay and lesbian studies, and queer theory, as well as traditional textual and art historical methods, the contributors to this volume examine representations of women's lives with other women, their friendships, and sexual subjectivity. They present new interpretations of the evidence offered by the literary works of Sappho, Ovid, and Lucian; Bronze Age frescoes and Greek vase painting, funerary reliefs, and other artistic representations; and Egyptian legal documents. Contents 8 Abbreviations 14 Acknowledgments 16 1. Introduction, by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz 20 2. Imag(in)ing a Women’s World in Bronze Age Greece: The Frescoes from Xeste 3 at Akrotiri, Thera, by Paul Rehak 53 3. Aphrodite Garlanded: Erôs and Poetic Creativity in Sappho and Nossis, by Marilyn B. Skinner 79 4. Subjects, Objects, and Erotic Symmetry in Sappho’s Fragments, by Ellen Greene 101 5. Excavating Women’s Homoeroticism in Ancient Greece: The Evidence from Attic Vase Painting, by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz 125 6. Women in Relief: “Double Consciousness” in Classical Attic Tombstones, by John G. Younger 186 7. Glimpses through a Window: An Approach to Roman Female Homoeroticism through Art Historical and Literary Evidence, by Lisa Auanger 230 8. Ovid’s Iphis and Ianthe: When Girls Won’t Be Girls, by Diane T. Pintabone 275 9. Lucian’s “Leaena and Clonarium”: Voyeurism or a Challenge to Assumptions?, by Shelley P. Haley 305 10. “Friendship and Physical Desire”: The Discourse of Female Homoeroticism in Fifth-Century CE Egypt, by Terry G. Wilfong 323 Works Cited 350 Notes on Contributors 392 Index 394