In particular, two figures—the cinaedus and the gallus—provide examples of men whose effeminate behavior and modified anatomies were striking yet still integrated into Roman society.

Traditionally, Roman society was extremely rigid. By the first century, however, the need for capable men to run Rome’s vast empire was slowly eroding the old social barriers. The social ...

A relief showing a gallus making sacrifices to the goddess Cybele and Attis. Sailko via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY ...

Like much of Roman society, it was highly structured but also logical and, in some ways, even modern. Marriage in Roman times was often not at all romantic. Rather, it was an agreement between ...