Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Tyrrhenians: Theopompos on the Etruscans’ supposed sexual deviance and freedom (mid-fourth century BCE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified May 6, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=18867.
Ancient authors: Timaios of Tauromenion, FGrHist 566 F1b, and Theopompos of Chios (mid-fourth century BCE), FGrHist 115 F204, as cited by Athenaios, Sophists at Dinner 12.517D (link to FGrHist).
Comments: This passage from Theopompos of Chios’ Histories delves into the supposed sexual freedom of the Tyrrhenians (usually equated with the Etruscans). Notions of sexual deviance and sexual freedom are often attributed to foreign peoples by Greeks, on which see category 9 as a whole.
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Among the Tyrrhenians [often the equivalent of Etruscans], who had become extravagantly luxurious, Timaios records in his first book [of his Histories] that the slave girls wait on the men naked. And Theopompos in the forty-third book of his Histories says that it is customary with the Tyrrhenians to share their women in common. The women care about their bodies greatly and often exercise even with men, sometimes also with one another, because it is not shameful for women to show themselves naked. Further, they dine, not with their own husbands, but with any men who happen to be present, and they pledge with wine any whom they wish. They also like to drink a lot and are very good-looking. The Tyrrhenians rear all the babies that are born, not knowing who is the father in any single case. These in turn pursue the same mode of life as those who have given them nurture, having drinking parties often and consorting with all the women. It is no disgrace for Tyrrhenians to be seen doing anything in the open, or even having anything done to them, because this also is a custom of their country. And so far are they from regarding it as shameful that they actually say, when the master of the house is indulging in a love affair, and someone inquires for him, that he is undergoing so-and-so, openly calling the act by its indecent name.
When they get together to socialize or for family parties they do as follows: first of all, after they have stopped drinking and are ready to go to bed, the servants bring in to them (while the lamps are still lighted) sometimes female prostitutes, sometimes very beautiful boys, sometimes also their wives. After they have enjoyed these, the servants then introduce lusty young men, who in their turn have sex with them. They indulge in love affairs and carry on these unions sometimes in full view of one another, but in most cases with screens set up around the beds. The screens are made of latticed wands, over which cloths are thrown. Now they consort very eagerly, to be sure, with women. However, they enjoy having sex with boys and youths even more.
For in their country youths are very good-looking, because they live in luxury and keep their bodies smooth. In fact all the barbarians who live in the west remove the hair from their bodies by means of pitch-plasters and by shaving with razors. Also, among the Tyrrhenians at least, many shops are set up and artisans arise for this business, corresponding to barbers among us. When they enter these shops, they offer themselves unreservedly, having no modesty whatever before spectators or the passers-by. This custom is also in use even among many of the Greeks who live in Italy. They learned it from the Samnites and Messapians. In their luxury, the Tyrrhenians, as Alkimos records, knead bread, practise boxing, and do their flogging to the accompaniment of the flute.
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Source of translation: C.B. Gulick, Athenaeus: The Deipnosophists, 7 volumes, LCL (Cambridge, MA: HUP, 1927-41), public domain (passed away in 1962 and copyright expired), adapted by Harland.