Hermaphroditus

A number of ancient deities combine male and female characteristics. Perhaps the most archetypal is Hermaphroditus, from whose name we get the word hermaphrodite. In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus was the offspring of the Goddess Aphrodite and the God Hermes. Originally a boy, he was transformed into a male-female hybrid through union with a water nymph. The cult of Hermaphroditus was popular in ancient Rome, where he was worshipped as the deity of bisexuality and effeminacy. The statue shown here is from Monte Porzio in Italy, and dates from the 2nd century AD. It is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Bacchanal: A Frenzied Sex Ritual

The Bacchanal was a religious rite associated with worship of the Roman God Bacchus, also known by the Greek name of Dionysus. Bacchus is often euphemistically referred to as the “God of Wine”, which makes him sound genteel and sophisticated, but in fact he was the God of drunkenness, self-indulgence and decadent sexuality. Accordingly, the Bacchanal took the form of an uninhibited, drunken orgy. The Roman historian Livy wrote that “More uncleanness was committed by men with men than with women. To regard nothing as impious or criminal was the sum total of their religion.”

Over the years, many artists have chosen to depict Bacchanalian revels in their paintings. The one shown here is the work of the Belgian painter Auguste Levêque.

The Goddess Juno

Juno was one of the most powerful deities in ancient Roman Mythology. Alongside Minerva, she was one of the top two Goddesses of the Roman Pantheon. But whereas Minerva was a virgin Goddess, Juno was an expert in sex. She was married to Jupiter, but like Jupiter she often had sexual intercourse with mortals. Juno symbolized feminine power and sexual liberation, and the word “Junoesque” is used to this day to refer to a tall, powerfully built woman.