Author or Archetype: The Importance of Philaenis As a Historical Figure and Subject of Ridicule

Authors

Nina Patel, Binghamton University--SUNY

Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Book

Description

When we talk about ancient Greek and Latin literature, we tend to think of the epics of Homer or the poetry of Ovid. However, we often overlook other genres––especially those including crude language and subject matters. This paper explores a series of texts describing Philaenis, the alleged author of an ancient sex and courtship manual, whose existence is still debated. It looks at a variety of authors, analyzing the language used to describe Philaenis and drawing conclusions about the legitimacy of her existence. This research argues that due to the widespread knowledge of her name and what it represents, Philaenis was a real historical figure. However, most of the writings in which her name appears use her as an archetype embodying female sexual promiscuity. This research displays how sexually autonomous women in ancient societies had their personas skewed by male authors, eventually becoming symbols for how women shouldn’t act.

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Recommended Citation

Patel, Nina, "Author or Archetype: The Importance of Philaenis As a Historical Figure and Subject of Ridicule" (2024). Research Days Posters 2024. 128.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/128