Speeches supposedly shown throughout the rules courts off ancient Athens uphold samples of people denigrating their opponent’s looks as proof of ethical a failure. Demosthenes accuses Apollodorus of being licentious and you can clearly explains his mellow chlanis (or mantle) as proof of their decadent, wayward existence (Dem. ). Such as for instance accusations need come tossed around appear to, since Demosthenes plus finds out themselves the subject of this sort of scrutiny: within the a presentation accusing Timarchus out of prostituting themselves, Aeschines brings their audience’s attention to Demosthenes, who is shielding Timarchus within the court. He items to the brand new orator’s silky chitoniskos (or tunic) and you can pretty chlanis since evidence of his lewd effeminacy (Aes. 1.131). These accusations is very early instances throughout the history of physiognomy, a type of study further created by Polemon and sophists. They mirror concern with brand new significance of your own alternatives boys generate about their appearance.

So you can united states, these attributions from gender to several types of clothing may sound odd; an effective himation now ends up good glorified link. Nevertheless these samples of the newest controls out of men beauty and you can trend from inside the antiquity can be used to critique our own inclinations so you’re able to display the fresh new difference between male and female looks. Continue reading →