Warning:NUDITY. Viewer discretion is advised.

Nudity? Here are the bare facts. Well, not really facts, but my take, though I really don't bring a lot of skin into this subject, but I will attempt to flesh it out, kind of.

Our attitudes towards nudity, in the west, are largely based on the Bible, notably the Old Testament, and its subsequent interpretations. Basically, the Old Testament takes a rather dim view of the naked human body. Sin has much to do with this, especially the Original Sin, whose roots rest primarily with Eve, an apple, and a rather solicitous serpent. Poor Eve! Well, to encapsulate, over the centuries sin and the inherently sinful nature of humans as been one of the main messages of Christianity. The naked human body, especially as the Puritans viewed it, was a cesspool of temptation, covering it, preferably from virtually head to toe was absolutely essential to prevent temptation and falling into sin. That's pretty much it in a nutshell, especially pertaining to the US.

The ancients, of Rome, Greece and other ancient cultures, had a different perspective, uninhibited by a stern and sometime vengeful God. For them, nudity and the human body was celebrated, in art, coinage and poetry among other things. Indeed, some of the greatest art the world has produced came from ancient Greece and Rome, as we all know.

Attitudes concerning the human body have been changing, and some of the restrictions concerning dress, have been, well, loosening up. Does this mean that we will see a return to the days of ancient Greece or Rome? Probably not, but the times, they are 'achanging.

Here's my coin for this thread, a somewhat rough, but appealing sestertius of Severus Alexander, with a full frontally exposed Sol advancing left.

Roman Empire, circa 233 AD
Æ Sestertius
Severus Alexander (222-235 AD)
Rome Mint
OBVERSE: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, LAUREATE AND DRAPED BUST OF SEVERUS ALEXANDER RIGHT.
REVERSE: SP M TR P XII COS III P P, S-C across field, SOL STANDING LEFT, RAISING RIGHT HAND AND HOLDING WHIP IN LEFT.
RIC 535, C. 442, BMC 932.AE
Green patina with darker areas

16.31 grams

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Surprised no one's added this one.