Sex & Sparta
The Ancients
History Hit
4.7 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 21 December 2023
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This episode contains graphic references to sex, infant mortality, and sexual assault.
While Spartans are often thought of for their bloodthirsty and fear inspiring performance on the battlefield - their sex lives and relationships have also been immortalised in history. From the Spartan King Menelaus and his infamous wife Helen of Troy, through to adolescent same-sex relationships - Sparta truly had it all. But what do we actually know about sex in Sparta, and how true are the ancient sources?
In the final episode of our Sparta mini-series, Tristan welcomes back Professor Paul Cartledge to look at what sex in Sparta was actually like. From tackling infertility in the ancient world, through to what Spartan courtship would've been like - was it possible to have Romanced a Spartan Warrior?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | May I have your attention please you can now book your train tickets on Uber and get |
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| 0:16.5 | Trains now on Uber. T's and C's apply. Check the Uber app. Everyone leaves a legacy. |
| 0:22.4 | But a legacy can change over time as new generations re-examine old reputations. |
| 0:28.0 | From Wundery and Goalhanger Podcasts, I'm Afu Hirsch. |
| 0:31.0 | I'm Peter Frankepan, and in a brand new series we're exploring the lives of some of the biggest characters in history. |
| 0:37.6 | From Napoleon to Picasso. And asking what does their past tell us about our present? This is legacy. |
| 0:44.8 | Follow now wherever you get your podcasts. It's the anchants on History Hit. I'm Tristan Hughes your host and in today's |
| 1:07.4 | episode where we are wrapping up our special Sparta miniseries this December |
| 1:11.4 | just in time for Christmas. |
| 1:14.4 | Today we're going to be talking about sex and sexuality in classical Sparta, and to explain all |
| 1:19.8 | about Spartan attitudes to sex, well I was delighted to interview the one the only |
| 1:24.5 | Professor Paul Cutledge from Claire College at the University of Cambridge. It is |
| 1:29.6 | always a great pleasure having the incredibly eloquent pull on the show. He is an ancient history legend. |
| 1:37.0 | Naturally, themes of a sexual nature do feature in today's episode, so you have been warned, but on the other hand, if this has just piqued your interest even more, then listen on. |
| 1:47.0 | I really do hope you enjoy. And here's Paul. |
| 1:52.0 | Paul, they said it would never happen, but we're both here in the same studio. |
| 1:55.4 | Welcome back to the ancients. |
| 1:57.0 | Thanks Tristan, great to see you in person. I can almost touch you from where I'm sitting. |
| 2:01.2 | It's brilliant in this studio in Cambridge. |
| 2:04.4 | Sparta is the topic, quite a general statement and question to begin with, but it's the |
| 2:09.7 | city state that never gets old that always fascinates us whether it's military or its everyday life or sexuality. |
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