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Though the Greeks also practiced homosexual relations existed among equals, it was considered problematic, as while the predominate man was considered to be masculine, the one who played the female role would be seen as inferior.<ref>John Boardman et al, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, 1986, pp. 225-226.</ref> In Amores 24, Charicles invokes Plato as saying that "as long as his beard was not yet fully grown, he was beloved by all. But, after he had passed from boyhood to manhood, during the years when his hitherto immature intellect now had its full powers of reason, he was hated by all." This role more likely pertained to slaves, or male youths who were not yet citizens.  

Though the Greeks also practiced homosexual relations existed among equals, it was considered problematic, as while the predominate man was considered to be masculine, the one who played the female role would be seen as inferior.<ref>John Boardman et al, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, 1986, pp. 225-226.</ref> In Amores 24, Charicles invokes Plato as saying that "as long as his beard was not yet fully grown, he was beloved by all. But, after he had passed from boyhood to manhood, during the years when his hitherto immature intellect now had its full powers of reason, he was hated by all." This role more likely pertained to slaves, or male youths who were not yet citizens.  

Attitudes toward homosexuality varied in Greece, as general strictures against same-sex eros existed in parts of Ionia, while in Elis and Boiotia (e.g., Thebes), it was approved of and sometimes celebrated.<ref>cf. Dover, 1989; Halperin, 1990</ref> 

Attitudes toward homosexuality varied in Greece, as general strictures against same-sex eros existed in parts of Ionia, while in Elis and Boiotia (e.g., Thebes), it was approved of and sometimes celebrated.<ref>cf. Dover, 1989; Halperin, 1990</ref>

 

Lesbian passion, as termed by the Greeks (derived from the name of the Greek island Lesbos, after its female poet Sappho wrote about love between women<ref>www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Cities/Lesbos.html</ref>, is not seen as obtaining the same social sanction as pederasty. It is noted that Greek mythology offers no legends of the goddesses parallel to the homosexual acts between the the male Greek gods. In Amores 28, Charicles states that it would be better for a women to invade the dominion of male wantonness (homosexuality) than for men to become effeminate, and also warns of lesbianism: ''If you concede homosexual love to males, you must in justice grant the same to females; you will have to sanction carnal intercourse between them; monstrous instruments of lust will have to be permitted, in order that their sexual congress may be carried out; that obscene vocable, tribad, which so rarely offends our ears--I blush to utter it--will become rampant, and Philænis will spread androgynous orgies throughout our harems.'' <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=sclZnr2SUIgC&pg=PA113&lpg=PA113&dq=Amores+of+Lucian,+Charicles&source=bl&ots=wZNTllKdeA&sig=vh6J9B9uPzFXES6yaoyAYfwPGOg&hl=en&ei=LxYfStb2IsXMlQeZuqXFBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=25#PPA113,M1 After Paul left Corinth, by Bruce W. Winter]</ref>

===Homosexuality in Rome===

===Homosexuality in Rome===