The Roman Castrati: Eunuchs in the Roman Empire

Description

Eunuchs tend to be associated with eastern courts, popularly perceived as harem personnel. However, the Roman empire was also distinguished by eunuchs – they existed as slaves, court officials, religious figures and free men. This book is the first to be devoted to the range of Roman eunuchs. Across seven chapters (spanning the third century BC to the sixth century AD), Shaun Tougher examines the history of Roman eunuchs, focusing on key texts and specific individuals. Subjects met include the Galli (the self-castrating devotees of the goddess the Great Mother), Terence's comedy The Eunuch (the earliest surviving Latin text to use the word 'eunuch'), Sporus and Earinus the eunuch favourites of the emperors Nero and Domitian, the 'Ethiopian eunuch' of the Acts of the Apostles (an early convert to Christianity), Favorinus of Arles (a superstar intersex philosopher), the Grand Chamberlain Eutropius (the only eunuch ever to be consul), and Narses the eunuch general who defeated the Ostrogoths and restored Italy to Roman rule. A key theme of the chapters is gender, inescapable when studying castrated males. Ultimately this book is as much about the eunuch in the Roman imagination as it is the reality of the eunuch in the Roman empire. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Eunuchs in the Roman Empire Cleopatra’s eunuchs Roman eunuchs Span, scope and significance 1 Eunuchs of the Great Mother: The Galli in Rome Introduction The Great Mother comes to Rome The Great Mother and Attis The Great Mother and the Galli Roman views of the Galli Conclusion 2 Greeks Bearing Gifts: Terence’s The Eunuch Introduction Terence: a life? The Eunuch: a summary Eunuchs in The Eunuch: aspects and attitudes Rome and The Eunuch Conclusion 3 Of Seed and Spring: Eunuch Slaves of Imperial Rome Introduction Sporus: the texts Earinus: the texts Interpretations of Sporus and Earinus Sporus and Earinus: a view The wider picture Conclusion 4 Born Eunuchs: The Case of Favorinus of Arles Introduction Life and career of Favorinus Favorinus as eunuch Favorinus as born eunuch Conclusion Appendix: Appearances and mentions of Favorinus in Aulus Gellius’ Attic Nights 5 Eusebius and His Kind: Court Eunuchs of the Later Roman Empire Introduction The emergence of the court eunuch The case of Eusebius The case of Eutropius Reading Eusebius and Eutropius Conclusion 6 ‘Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’: Self-Castration and Eunuchs in Early Christianity Introduction Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: self- castration and Christianity The Ethiopian Eunuch: a place for eunuchs in Christianity Eunuchs as clergy, monks, martyrs and saints Conclusion 7 Military Eunuchs: The Case of Narses Introduction Narses: background and career Narses as a successful general: explanations Narses as eunuch general: characterization and selection Narses in context Conclusion Notes References Index