In Bed With the Romans

Romans and their beds. Not only did the Romans sleep in them, they recovered from hangovers in them, procreated in them, and they were where some women gave birth.

In this talk we go under the proverbial covers to discuss Roman sexuality. What do we know about the Romans and sex? How prevalent was adultery? What do we know about Roman prostitution? And what can we say about the erotic images found in Pompeii and Herculaneum? As we will see, it turns out that Roman sex can tell us a lot about Roman society.

Dr Gary Morrison (Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Canterbury) is a specialist in Roman social history. His unique area of research is the literary, cultural, and political significance of the ‘night’ in antiquity, both in regards to the literary imagery of night, as well as the activities undertaken in households and in urban areas under the cover of darkness.

Join us for this free short-format talk, and take advantage of the opportunity to view Fantastic Feasts, the newest exhibition at the Teece Museum. Museum doors will open at 6.30pm. The talk will begin at 7pm.

This talk is for adults only (R18). Images and language may offend. Entry is free but registrations are recommended via Eventbrite.