Were the Persians prudes?

When we think of sex in the ancient world, we almost always rush straight to the Western spheres of Greece and Rome. Images of lively symposiums, Dionysian revels and explicit marble statues flash in our minds – fuelling our modern stereotype of the classical world as one of theatrical sensuality punctuated with the occasional philosophical debate on hedonism and violence. But Persia? Persia slips under the radar and rarely gets invited to the table for that conversation. So…what was the ancient Persian view? I wasn’t too sure myself, so let’s dive in.

The Greek attitude towards sex often cast one of desire that corrupted the rational soul, a threat; the Romans approached sex through the clear lens of order, power and status. Sex, for the ancient Persians, was more subtle. They unapologetically weaved sex into the fabric of their world and viewed it as both earthly and other-worldly. Something of cosmic significance. For them, sex and marriage was not merely a social construct, instead a contribution to the much needed moral scaffold of the universe.

Where the Greeks celebrated (ἔρως) eros (passionate or sexual love and desire) and the Romans treated sex as a tool for social hierarchy, the Persians tied sex to duty and order - something more serious. A responsibility. For them, sex was not shameful, whispered or taboo, it lived in their moral landscape with a clarified purpose; an act that could uphold cosmic disorder or destruct it.

“Why do negotiations always fail?

Because the men keep insisting they’re bringing something ‘big’ to the table, and the women keep insisting they can’t find it.”

-              Aristophanes

For the Greeks, who loved to poke fun about sex, sexuality was intertwined with masculinity and civic identity. Jokes like these show how freely they blended witty sex humour with political commentary – something unheard of and unimaginable in the principled culture of Persia. Around 1800 miles away from Greece, the Persians wouldn’t have dared to turn sex into a philosophical playground. It was an act – one of purpose, respect and practicality.

In Rome, sexuality was less about universal order or up for debate in wine fuelled parties, but rather about the chain of command. A Roman citizen’s freedom was measured by whom he could dominate. For Roman males, sexual integrity wasn’t earned in who he slept with but rather how he positioned in… well how he positioned himself in the act! To be submissive, was to be socially diminished. For the Roman's, sexuality wasn’t a mutual act of pleasure but rather a rehearsal of power. The Persians however embraced consistency, their sexual norms were pre-formed by a moral code, rather than being set by the fluid privileges of class or citizenship.

The Persians held sex inside the firm constraints of law, faith and society, however, ancient Persian texts and poetry (particularly those in the Islamic Persian tradition) set forth desire as something more potent, bewitching and worth celebrating. Whilst the Greeks and Romans decorated their houses with raunchy frescoes and carved marble to immortalise sexuality, the Persians kept the act more discreet and dignified. Not hidden because it was shameful, but rather because it was meaningful.

In an ancient world, where sex often erratically swings between comedic over-indulgence and a calculated abuse of power, maybe the Persians were doing it right?

Whilst reading about their perspective, I found it refreshing. A view that doesn’t fit neatly into any category; neither sensualist, repressive nor prudish. An act that was part of their fabric – a thread woven into their broader moral tapestry.

Layla and Majnun

sham