The issue of age raises further uncomfortable questions about the exploitation of the young and also about the possibility of a lasting romantic relationship – they were evidently not envisaged as continuing for more than a few years.Īs a writer, what does one do with this background? This paints a rather unattractive picture of relationships defined by an essentialised inequality and power imbalance of age and status. past early twenties, then there was a risk of it being maliciously asked who was penetrating whom – and few MRC’s, we are led to understand, wanted to be thought of as being penetrated by their own slave – whatever they actually did in private. In effect then, MRC’s could have sex with freedmen, slaves, young men who were not Roman citizens or who were part of an underclass, including prostitutes, actors and the like, who were accepted as having no honour to lose.Īge was also an important factor if the MRC’s partner was clearly a mature male e.g. Penetrating another male Roman citizen was also perceived as a socially undesirable act, similar to adultery. According to elite Roman sexual mores, it was acceptable for an adult male Roman citizen to be sexually involved with another male, only if he was assumed to be the penetrating and dominant partner.
Gaius and Achillescentres around the development of a romantic relationship between a Roman aristocrat and his young, male slave (Achilles is aged 18 throughout the novel).
