EROMENOS

In the pederastic tradition of Classical Athens, the 'eromenos' (Greek ἐρώμενος, pl. "eromenoi") was an adolescent boy who was in a love relationship with an adult man, known as the erastes (ἐραστής).
The term for the role often varied from one polis to another. In Athens, the eromenos was also known as the ''paidika;'' in Sparta they used ''aites'' (hearer); in Crete the boys were known as ''kleinos'' (glorious) and if they had fought in battle with their lover, as ''parastathenes'' (one who stands beside).

Contents

Characteristics of the role

Notes

See also

Characteristics of the role

In Attica, eromenoi were assiduously courted, and were the object of street fights and arguments among the young men vying for their affection. Some of the eromenoi moved in with their lovers, with whom they lived for some period of time.^[1]
The Greeks recognized and valued that time in the life of a boy when he was considered to be ripe for loving, which they referred to as ''hôraios'', "in season," often translated as "the bloom of boyhood."^[2] Though the eromenos was valued for his beauty, he was valued even more for his modesty, industriousness and courage. In Plato's ''Symposium'', eromenoi are described as the "best" boys and their characteristic was that "they love men and enjoy living with men and being embraced by men."
The eromenos was typically portrayed as undergoing pedagogical training and while he typically was also the object of affection and passion, he was not necessarily sexually engaged. When present, sexual expression is depicted in the iconography as having consisted primarily of fondling and intercrural sex. Anal sex appears to have been less common, yet frequent enough to be a topic of comedy, and of criticism based on the opinion that it was a practice which was shameful^[3] and risked feminizing the boys who grew to like it.
Upon reaching the age of maturity (ca. eighteen years), the eromenos would cut his long hair and become eligible for taking on the role of erastes and courting and winning an eromenos of his own.
"Eromenos" is traditionally translated into English as "beloved", although this is not a perfect match for the concept.

Notes

1. Aeschines, "Against Timarchos"
2. Xenophon, ''Memorabilia'' 1.3.8-14
3. Aesop, "Zeus and Shame" (Perry 109, Chambry 118, Gibbs 528), in ''Fables''

See also

★ Athenian pederasty

★ Erastes

★ Mentoring

★ Pederasty in ancient Greece