STIs through the centuries
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In England, data produced by the UKHSA shows that year after year new diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain high and, between 2021 and 2022, diagnoses of gonorrhoea and infectious syphilis increased by 50% and 15% respectively.
In this article we will explore the rising tide of STIs across the eons, how ancient Greeks feared the killer ‘scorpions and serpents’ in semen, and how goat’s milk was thought to be a curative for sexual ailments.
The ancient world
The Greek and Roman Period (5th century BCE – 4th century CE)
Over 2,400 years ago the ancient Greeks and Romans were documenting their complex sexual networks and their sexual health.
Love and relationships in the time of The Minotaur and Medusa were not without their dangers. It is recorded that Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos of Crete, used a goat’s bladder as a condom as the King’s semen was said to contain ‘scorpions and serpents’ that killed his mistresses.
And thanks to the ancient Greek physician Hip...
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