Unorthodox birth control
The Ancient Greeks may well have been the founders of modern medicine, but that doesn’t mean they were so clued-up about reproductive health. In fact, they were pretty much clueless, as the birth control methods of the time attest. While specific methods differed markedly, there was one common belief: that birth control was a woman’s responsibility, meaning the men of Greece were spared some truly bizarre, not to mention downright disgusting, methods of staying baby-free.
The most harmless – albeit least useful – birth control method was that prescribed by renowned Athenian gynecologist Soranus. While he mainly worked in Rome, his methods spread far and wide across the ancient world, including in his homeland. His biggest tip? After copulation, a woman “must hold her breath and draw herself away from a little, so that the seed may not be hurled too deep into the cavity of the uterus. And getting up immediately and squatting down, she should induce sneezing and carefully wipe the vagina all round”. Quite.
As well sneezing after the deed had been done, the ladies of Greece could also take a number of more proactive steps in an effort to avoid conception. It was perceived wisdom that smearing of old olive oil on the lady’s private parts could work as an effective birth control method. Or if there wasn’t any aging oil available, then a lady should apply honey or balsam tree juice before stepping into the bed chamber. Even wise old Aristotle recommended the ‘olive oil method’, though perhaps more as a way to deter would-be suitors than anything else.
One other popular means of birth control in Ancient Greece was as simple as it was ineffective. Pomegranates, so the wise men of the time declared, could help prevent unwanted conception. All a lady had to do was pick one from a tree, peel it and then grind the peel into a water solution, which was then to be applied ‘down below’. Oh, and this should be followed by a drink of honey water otherwise it just wouldn’t work…