Pederasty in Ancient Greece

It is said that the word “pederasty” derives from the Greek “paiderastia” or erotic relationship between an adult and a young man. For Plato (Phaedrus, 227a) it was a distinctive feature of Greeks as opposed to barbarians. For some people sex is considered a natural fact while sexuality (pederasty) is a cultural creation. It is a reality among other civilizations.


Fazem derivar a palavra pederastia do termo grego paiderastia ou relacionamento erótico entre adulto e jovem. Para Platão (Fedro, 227a) era elemento distintivo dos Gregos face aos bárbaros. Há quem considere sexo como facto natural e sexualidade (pederastia) como criação cultural. Frequente em outras civilizações.

Unknown-'pederastic scene in symposium'-fresco-475 BC Paestum (Magna Grecia)-tomb of the driver (North wall)

Briseis painter-'erastes (lover) and eromenes (beloved) kissing'-attic red-figure cup-ca 480 BC Paris-Musée du Louvre (G 278)

Macron painter-'eromenos'-attic red-figure kylix-ca 470 BC-Vulci München-Staatliche Antikensammlungen (2674)

Attr. Andokides painter-'wrestling'-attic red-figure amphora-ca 525 BC-Vulci Berlin-(F 2159)

Unknown-'pederastic erotic scene'-fragment attic black-figure cup-(555-525 BC) Paris-Musée du Louvre (F 85 bis)