College
Caine College of the Arts
Faculty Mentor
Álvaro Ibarra
Abstract
Transgender individuals are erased from the historical narrative due to little definitive evidence of their existence in language, literature, or the archaeological record. Items like clothing, textiles, and wigs, which distinguished them from cisgender people, are largely lost to time. However, one way that we can view gender nonconformity is through art. This presentation analyzes the use of androgyny and gender non-conformity in Greco-Roman marble statues, focusing on Apollo. Although he is biologically male, Apollo is known for being effeminate and gender non-conforming. His physical appearance contributes to his feminine attributes, including his androgynous body structure, hairstyle, and clothing. This is exemplified in the genre of Apollo imagery called "Apollo Citharoedus" or "Apollo with a Cithara (lyre)". When looking into depictions of Apollo Citharoedus, three of them caught my attention: Apollo Seated with Lyre, Apollo kitharoidos, and Apollo citaredo. The statues have been compared to each other as well as others in style of dress, accessories and hair- major factors that deal with gender identity in antiquity. I also took the iconography into account as well, with Apollo's status as a deity, his association with "feminine" qualities and features including healing and music, to his beardless face and affinity for women's clothing.
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
1-25-2023
Recommended Citation
Cash, Samuel, "Gender Identities Outside of the Binary Existed in Ancient Rome" (2023). Research on Capitol Hill. Paper 130.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/roch/130