I received Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

Some of the more salacious stories of the Roman Empire emphasize its sexual licentiousness; early scholars even blamed it in part for the empire's fall. Despite the moralizing Augustus' best efforts, a whole host of sexual behaviors were practiced by Romans across the empire. While strict gender roles were in place, there was plenty of room to play within--or outside of--those boundaries with a range of partners, particularly if you were wealthy and/or powerful.

This was quick and fairly light romp through Roman cultural history, looking at gender roles and how those constructs translated into love, marriage, sexuality, and masculinity and femininity. Of course, there is the nonconsensual sex--sex between slaves and masters, adults and children, unwilling spouses--which is troubling but unfortunately a considerable aspect of sexuality in ancient Rome. But on the whole, it's useful in exploring, at a birds' eye view, the cultural forces at work that determined dominant sexual mores if not sexual behavior.