The Greeks and Their Penises
The history behind the sculptures of men with tiny, flaccid ding dongs
A few years ago, I was browsing one of my favorite local bookstores. A man near me started having audible reactions to the book he was holding. “Wow...WOW…interesting…” I tried to ignore him, but curiosity got the better of me. I turned to him and said, “What?”
He held the page out toward me and, unfortunately, said, “I just don’t understand why all these Greek guys’ penises are so tiny! Mine is massive, so I’d be pissed if I had a statue made of me with a super small penis.”
The following text is the long version of what I explained to the man in the bookstore that day.
Compare and Contrast
The Ancient Greeks are often known for their idealization and fetishization of the human body, particularly the male form. And today’s understanding of beauty, attractiveness, and masculinity in men is very similar in many ways to what is depicted in Ancient Greek forms of art.
- Sculpted physique: check (and pun intended)
- Tall: check
- Manicured body: check
- Hairy face: check
- Signs of physical and/or athletic strength: check
