Daisy Dunn’s book The Missing Thread uncovers ancient women’s sexuality and lives from their own perspective.
Ancient male writers often compared women to different animals and criticized them harshly. However, Daisy Dunn’s new book The Missing Thread attempts to view history from women’s perspectives. It reveals what women in ancient times actually thought about their sexuality and lives.
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| source: BBC |
A History of Male Bias and Prejudice
The seventh-century Greek poet Semonides of Amorgos compared women to ten different types of animals, including pigs, foxes, dogs, and donkeys. Women likened to “donkeys” were portrayed as lustful and immoral.
According to such writers, some women were like dirty pigs, while others were obedient like bees. But when we examine history more deeply, we must ask whether these portrayals were merely male fantasies or reflections of their fears.
Greek and Roman history shows that women’s lives were highly restricted. In Greece, women had to cover their faces and bodies when going out in public. In Rome, women’s movements, property, and activities were monitored by their fathers or husbands, who acted as their legal guardians.
Male writers either idealized women as perfectly virtuous goddesses or depicted them as sexually insatiable and shameful. Between these two extremes, women’s real emotions were largely suppressed.
The Voice of Female Poets: The Love of Sappho
The famous ancient Greek poet Sappho lived on the island of Lesbos in the seventh century BCE and wrote poetry about love and desire.
In her poems, she vividly describes feelings of jealousy and physical reactions when seeing a woman speaking with a man. She writes of a racing heartbeat, faltering speech, dimmed vision, and trembling—experiences that still feel relatable today.
Sappho’s poetry proves that women in ancient times were just as sensitive, emotional, and aware in matters of love and sexuality. Similarly, in the Etruria civilization of Italy, women were depicted alongside sexual symbols and artwork, suggesting that sexuality was considered a natural part of life rather than something to fear.
Sex Work, Independence, and Identity
In ancient times, the lives of sex workers were often difficult. Wall inscriptions found in places like Pompeii show that male clients often viewed them merely as objects of pleasure.
However, some high-status courtesans used their earnings for social contributions. For example, the third-century poet Nossis mentions a sex worker who donated money to install a statue of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) in a temple.
For these women, it was not just about sex it was also a rare opportunity to preserve their names in history. In a society where ordinary women’s identities were often erased, these women managed to create their own recognition.
War, Marriage, and Social Suffering
In the famous comedy Lysistrata by Aristophanes, women declare a “sex strike” to stop the war between Athens and Sparta. Though humorous, the play reflects serious social realities.
The main character, Lysistrata, explains how war causes suffering for women. Men could return from war and marry young women even in old age, but for women, once their youth passed, the opportunity for marriage and motherhood could disappear forever.
Ancient literature also discusses the first-night experience of marriage. Characters in the works of Sophocles express the fear and confusion of a young bride becoming a wife. The philosopher Theano advised a friend that a woman should “take off her modesty along with her clothes when going to bed, and put it back on with her clothes when rising.”
Because most historical sources were written by men, women’s voices were often overshadowed. However, researchers like Daisy Dunn reveal that ancient women were not merely playthings or passive figures. They possessed love, desire, intellect, and vitality just as much as men did.
