18. Romans Had a Serious Double Standard When It Came to Sexual Morality
An ancient Roman patriarch’s power of life and death over his family members was particularly evident when it came to his authority over the women of the family. Notwithstanding the ancient Romans’ reputation for licentiousness, debauchery, and wild orgies, they managed to indulge in such carnal excesses while simultaneously viewing adultery as a serious matter.
Adultery was frowned upon not just on moral grounds, but also because it introduced the possibility of illegitimate heirs to a pater familias’ estate. When Augustus became emperor, he sought to restore traditional values with morality laws aimed at combating adultery – defined as a woman having sex with a man who was not her husband. However, a man having sex with female slaves and prostitutes did not count as adultery.