The status of women was very low and their image very negative. Greece was a very misogynous, woman-hating society.

This attitude is clearly reflected by the Greek poet Palladas:

Another example is the Greek Poet Propertius, who said:

While the status of women in Roman society was considerably better, homosexuality and uncontrolled sexual behavior were regular features of Roman society. The great 18th century historian Gibbon, author of "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire," states that of all the Roman Emperors, only Claudius was heterosexual.

EFFECT ON SOCIETY

Sexual promiscuity and negative attitudes toward women had a very detrimental effect on society: Not only did they not contribute toward the creation of stable families, but they also seriously affected the size of the population. Both Greece and Rome passed laws requiring a man to marry and have a certain minimum number of children in order to bequeath his property. Without a law, men would not get married. They would be too busy having fun with prostitutes and boys.

However, these laws ultimately failed. Rome built an empire based on peasant Roman soldiers fighting and dying for their country. It was one of the greatest military machines in human history. But Rome collapsed in the 5th century CE. Why? It could no longer defend itself. The very low birth rate meant a scarcity of Romans for the Army!

Photo National Geographic

The idea of a stable family structure was often lacking in the most advanced societies.

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