Philo on male homosexuality

Thesis

This thesis discusses Philo of Alexandria's views on male homosexuality. In addition to clarifying the use of the term 'homosexuality' in this research, the Introduction investigates Philo's place in the history of scholarship on sexuality in the ancient Mediterranean world. A preliminary chapter on Philo's life and oeuvre (Chapter One) is followed by a review of the main attitudes towards homosexuality as emerging primarily from literary sources of both gentile and Judaeo-Christian provenance contemporary to Philo (Chapter Two). Building on Philo's interpretation of the biblical myth of Adam and Eve, Chapter Three probes the limits of love, sex, and gender according to Philo, arguing that his system of thought is grounded in a strict gender binarism which leaves no space for any sexually ambiguous entity—not even on a figurative level. The next three chapters focus on three relevant passages in Philo's work: Philo decries male homosexuality in relation to Plato's Symposium (Chapter Four; Contempl. 57-64), within a retelling of the events of Sodom and Gomorrah (Chapter Five; Abr. 133-146), and with respect to the prohibitions of same-sex intercourse in Leviticus (Chapter Six; Spec. 3.37-42). Philo's arguments and rhetorical strategies are informed by varied traditions, ranging from philosophical hermeneutics to biblical exegesis as well as legal thinking, and the relevant writings and passages tie in with many Graeco-Roman literary genres and imageries. The effect produced is an unprecedented, multi-faceted attack on behaviour which Philo presents as highly problematic not only for those directly involved in it, but for the entire community where it appears. This study aims to emphasise the originality of Philo's contribution to ancient discourses on sexuality, and suggests that his peculiar approach to τὸ παιδεραστεῖν modifies the conceptual universe of this idea. The Conclusions point to possibilities for developing further research on these themes in the Christian reception of Philo.

Authors: De Marinis, A

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford