"The Emasculated Eros"
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:35 pm
Piotr O. Scholz: "Der entmannte Eros: Eine Kulturgeschichte". Artemis & Winkler 1997; 308 pages.
Scholz relates castration to the history of civilization. In his opinion, eunuchs have their origin in the political system of sacred monarchism, because god-like rulers never allowed ordinary man in their entourage - a not completly convincing supposition. Nevertheless, the rest of the book is interesting. It deals with the role of eunuchs in ancient Rome and Greece, China and the European middleages. There is an interesting chapter about the arabian harems. While castration is not allowed by the Koran, eunuch mainly from Eastern Europe had been imported by jewish slave traders. The book includes a map showing the castration centres and routes of eunuch trade in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. There had been three castration manufaktories in Europe: one in Verdun (France), one in Prag (Czechia) and another on in the south of the then islamic Spain, the city of Pechina.
Scholz relates castration to the history of civilization. In his opinion, eunuchs have their origin in the political system of sacred monarchism, because god-like rulers never allowed ordinary man in their entourage - a not completly convincing supposition. Nevertheless, the rest of the book is interesting. It deals with the role of eunuchs in ancient Rome and Greece, China and the European middleages. There is an interesting chapter about the arabian harems. While castration is not allowed by the Koran, eunuch mainly from Eastern Europe had been imported by jewish slave traders. The book includes a map showing the castration centres and routes of eunuch trade in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. There had been three castration manufaktories in Europe: one in Verdun (France), one in Prag (Czechia) and another on in the south of the then islamic Spain, the city of Pechina.