The Sexuality of Etruscans
Tour Information
The mysterious people of Etruscans and their sex appeal
Tarquinia is a small town, 1.5 hour drive from Rome. Because of the huge Etruscan necropolis and the worldwide famous museum, Tarquinia is considered as the capital of the Etruscans, pre-Roman people living in Central Italy. Their culture and lifestyle has strongly influenced the Romans who conquered their territories from 4th century B.C and become completely Roman by the first century A.C.
The Etruscan culture represents a mystery for archeologists: the Tarquinia necropolis is a unique treasure of their history, of their daily life in their homeland, Etruria.
In this tour, you will visit the Monterozzi necropolis and its museum. A convenient private transfer by car from Rome to Tarquinia will take you to meet your gay-friendly guide, just close to the necropolis. But let’s unveil some more about these Roman ancestors in Italy…
‘The Etruscans do not disdain women because they love having numerous offspring but, once they have fulfilled their duty, they turn to the boys they love in a very different way and who, in general, they prefer to women… Almost all Etruscan adolescents are beautiful and they are always well cared for. The pimps subject them to depilation and massages with scented oils. Barbers and masseurs have their open-air shops and, from the threshold of the door, one can witness the exciting spectacle offered by so many completely naked young men who are about to be prepared for the parties of love… Friends and lovers are there to oversee all operations and pay the bill’
These are the opening words of Theopompus of Chios, a famous Greek historian and rhetorician born around 376 BC. and who, through his precious studies (such as those contained in "Philipic Stories" - Book XLIII), has allowed us to learn about homosexual love among the Etruscans.
An importance, that of sex, equal to that covered by the culinary art: it is known, in fact, that the Etruscans, in addition to being gourmets and great cooking experts (they punctuated the days with precious banquets, forerunners of the lavish lunches of the ancient Rome), lived in complete sexual freedom, without any moral judgment on the ways and forms in which sex was performed. Food, death and love are, in fact, themes that are very intertwined in the Etruscan world. Various tombs show representations of amorous moments and sexual embraces, even quite pushed. Below we see those mainly with a homosexual theme.
The tomb paintings, the frescoes and the many artifacts unearthed from archaeological excavations provide us with the greatest number of representations in this sense: from homoerotic scenes with naked athletes in the gym to scenes showing unequivocal love affairs between men, with young men intent on having anal sex and engaged in various embraces.
Among the most important archaeological excavations that have brought to light this type of representation are those carried out in the "Tomb of the Bulls", present in the Monterozzi necropolis in Tarquinia. In the Tomb of the Bulls there is the most conspicuous pictorial nucleus of Etruscan art that has come down to us, containing some of the most famous erotic scenes. On the back wall of the main room two sexual relationships are represented: one homosexual and one heterosexual (the latter is a menage à trois between two men and a woman).
The mysterious people of Etruscans and their sex appeal
Tarquinia is a small town, 1.5 hour drive from Rome. Because of the huge Etruscan necropolis and the worldwide famous museum, Tarquinia is considered as the capital of the Etruscans, pre-Roman people living in Central Italy. Their culture and lifestyle has strongly influenced the Romans who conquered their territories from 4th century B.C and become completely Roman by the first century A.C.
The Etruscan culture represents a mystery for archeologists: the Tarquinia necropolis is a unique treasure of their history, of their daily life in their homeland, Etruria.
In this tour, you will visit the Monterozzi necropolis and its museum. A convenient private transfer by car from Rome to Tarquinia will take you to meet your gay-friendly guide, just close to the necropolis. But let’s unveil some more about these Roman ancestors in Italy…
‘The Etruscans do not disdain women because they love having numerous offspring but, once they have fulfilled their duty, they turn to the boys they love in a very different way and who, in general, they prefer to women… Almost all Etruscan adolescents are beautiful and they are always well cared for. The pimps subject them to depilation and massages with scented oils. Barbers and masseurs have their open-air shops and, from the threshold of the door, one can witness the exciting spectacle offered by so many completely naked young men who are about to be prepared for the parties of love… Friends and lovers are there to oversee all operations and pay the bill’
These are the opening words of Theopompus of Chios, a famous Greek historian and rhetorician born around 376 BC. and who, through his precious studies (such as those contained in “Philipic Stories” – Book XLIII), has allowed us to learn about homosexual love among the Etruscans.
An importance, that of sex, equal to that covered by the culinary art: it is known, in fact, that the Etruscans, in addition to being gourmets and great cooking experts (they punctuated the days with precious banquets, forerunners of the lavish lunches of the ancient Rome), lived in complete sexual freedom, without any moral judgment on the ways and forms in which sex was performed. Food, death and love are, in fact, themes that are very intertwined in the Etruscan world. Various tombs show representations of amorous moments and sexual embraces, even quite pushed. Below we see those mainly with a homosexual theme.
The tomb paintings, the frescoes and the many artifacts unearthed from archaeological excavations provide us with the greatest number of representations in this sense: from homoerotic scenes with naked athletes in the gym to scenes showing unequivocal love affairs between men, with young men intent on having anal sex and engaged in various embraces.
Among the most important archaeological excavations that have brought to light this type of representation are those carried out in the “Tomb of the Bulls”, present in the Monterozzi necropolis in Tarquinia. In the Tomb of the Bulls there is the most conspicuous pictorial nucleus of Etruscan art that has come down to us, containing some of the most famous erotic scenes. On the back wall of the main room two sexual relationships are represented: one homosexual and one heterosexual (the latter is a menage à trois between two men and a woman).
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Additional Information
- The tour last 6 hours from pick up to drop off in Rome.
- Meeting point: Piazza Venezia – Venezia Palace – Rome.
- Meeting time: h. 9.30AM.
- Return in Rome h. 03.30PM.
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The Sexuality of Etruscans
From € 350
Untold History Tours
Gay owned company.
Constant research about the hidden Gay Italian history.
Only guides openly gay or gay-friendly.
