The Gallae Transgender Priests of Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East

K. A. Lucker

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Rohrbacher, David

Keywords

Galli, Gallae, Transgender, Kybele, Magna Mater, Greece, Rome, Gender, Ancient Religion

Area of Concentration

Classics

Abstract

The gallae, priests of Kybele in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East, violated the gender norms of their societies in several spectacular ways. Although assigned a male gender role at birth, they ritually severed their own genitalia either in whole or in part, and afterward dressed in women's clothing, wore feminine jewelry and other adornments, and spoke in a higher vocal register. This behavior bears similarities to that of modern transsexual women. This thesis argues that the gallae and modern transsexuals share a common transgender experience, the meaning of which is constructed differently by their respective cultures. Using textual analysis, evidence from the archaeological record, and ethnographic parallels, it explores the similarities and differences between gallae and other transgender groups of people, including modern transsexuals. Finally, it concludes that transgender experiences are cross-cultural, although the meaning of these experiences is shaped by cultural context, and that modern scholars should not attempt to minimize or explain away the transgendered aspects of the gallae.

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