The Sexual Revolution Of The Roman Empire

Summary

This video script explores the transformative impact of Christianity on ancient Roman sexual ethics, marking a radical shift from a status-based system to one emphasizing human dignity and monogamous marriage. It contrasts the sexual exploitation prevalent in the Roman Empire, particularly towards slaves and women, with the Christian teachings that valued all individuals equally. The script suggests that the modern sexual revolution has not achieved the promised utopia and questions if a return to these ancient Christian ethics could be a solution to contemporary moral chaos.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The script discusses a significant shift in sexual ethics attributed to the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire, which was a more radical change than the 20th-century sexual revolution.
• 👤 In the Roman Empire, sexual norms were largely dictated by social status, with high-status men having almost unrestricted sexual access to those of lower status, including slaves.
• 🔄 The concept of consent was absent for slaves, who were treated as property and used for sexual gratification by their masters without any ethical considerations.
• 👦🏼👧🏼 The sexual exploitation of children, particularly slave children, was common, with the Roman society viewing them similarly to how some might view pornography today.
• 🚫 Christianity introduced a new sexual ethic based on the equal value of every human being, regardless of social status, advocating for monogamous marriage as the only acceptable context for sexual activity.
• 💍 Christian teachings emphasized the importance of freely chosen unions and fidelity within marriage, challenging the existing norms of sexual infidelity and the objectification of women and slaves.
• 🙏 The early Christian message of inherent human dignity and the image of God in every person was particularly appealing to marginalized groups like slaves and women.
• 🛑 Christian ethics also opposed practices such as abortion and infanticide, which were prevalent in Roman society, especially among unwanted female infants.
• 📜 As Christianity spread, it influenced laws and societal norms, leading to changes such as the restriction of divorce and the recognition of slaves' rights to be emancipated.
• 🛡️ The script argues that Christian sexual ethics elevated the status of slaves, women, and children by emphasizing their inherent worth as children of God, rather than their social status.
• 🔄 The modern sexual revolution of the 20th century is contrasted with the Christian revolution, with the latter being seen as a positive influence that improved the lives of many, while the former has led to chaos and misery.

Q & A

What is referred to as the 'sexual revolution' in the context of the script?

The term 'sexual revolution' in the script refers to the radical change in sexual values that took place in the West during the 20th century, but it also highlights an earlier and more massive sexual revolution that occurred nearly 2,000 years earlier when Christianity transformed the sexual ethics of the Roman Empire.

How was sexual permissiveness determined in the Roman Empire?

In the Roman Empire, what was sexually permissible and what was taboo were largely based on one's social status. Higher status free men could have sex with almost anyone they wanted, as long as the other person was not of high social status or seen as the property of someone of high social status.

What was the typical attitude towards sex with slaves in the Roman era?

The idea that a rich, high-status man should have sexual access to his social inferiors, particularly his slaves, was completely unquestioned. Slaves were viewed as property to be used and abused at will, and the concept of consent was unheard of for slaves.

How did the sexual ethics of the Roman Empire impact slaves, especially children?

Slaves, and particularly children, were the most victimized under the Roman cultural sexual hierarchy. They were subjected to pervasive sexual abuse, with no legal or societal protection against such acts.

What was the Christian teaching regarding the sexual ethics that contrasted with the Roman Empire's views?

Christian teaching based sexual ethics on the equal value of every human being, regardless of social status, and upheld freely chosen, one-woman-one-man monogamous marriage as the only acceptable context for any sexual activity.

How did Christianity redefine the concept of marriage in terms of sexual ethics?

Christianity required that each spouse freely choose the union and be faithful to each other, with the husband's body belonging to the wife and vice versa. It also emphasized that any sexual act outside of marriage was forbidden.

What were the teachings of Christianity regarding the treatment of slaves and lower classes in terms of sexual ethics?

Christianity required that people of lower classes, women, children, and slaves be treated as persons with the same dignity as anyone else, and that they be granted the same moral standing as freeborn or noble men.

How did the spread of Christianity influence laws and norms in the Roman Empire?

As Christianity spread, laws and norms began to change, with the first Christian emperor, Constantine, ending the Roman system of unilateral divorce and permitting it under only a few serious circumstances. Later, Christian emperors and church fathers encouraged the manumission of slaves and the protection of vulnerable groups from sexual exploitation.

What was the impact of Christian sexual ethics on the Western World over the next 2,000 years?

Christian sexual ethics eventually became the norm in the Western World, marking a paradigm shift in sexual ethics where the cosmos replaced the city as the framework of morality, and ethical values centered on the idea that sexual activity belongs within the bond of marriage.

How does the script describe the modern sexual revolution in contrast to the Christian sexual ethics?

The script describes the modern sexual revolution as a breakdown of the system of sexual ethics established by Christianity over the past 2,000 years, influenced by ideologies such as Marxism, second wave feminism, and hedonistic post-relativism, which have not led to a brighter future but rather to chaos and misery.

What is the script's proposition regarding the antidote to today's sexual chaos and misery?

The script suggests that the same Christian sexual ethics that once revolutionized Roman society by proclaiming the dignity of every person and elevating the value of fidelity and sacrificial love could be the antidote to today's sexual chaos and misery.