Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe

Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe

The first edition cover featuring a depiction of a seventh-century icon of Serge and Bacchus
Author	John Boswell
Language	English
Subject	Adelphopoiesis
Publisher	Villard Books (US) HarperCollins (UK)
Publication date	1994
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover · paperback)
ISBN	978-0679432289

Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe (UK title: The Marriage of Likeness: Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe^[1]) is a historical study written by the American historian John Boswell and first published by Villard Books in 1994. Then a professor at Yale University, Boswell was a specialist on homosexuality in Christian Europe, having previously authored three books on the subject. It proved to be his final publication, released in the same year as his death.

Boswell's primary argument is that throughout much of medieval Christian Europe, unions between figures of the same sex and gender were socially accepted. Outlining the problems with accurately translating Ancient Greek and Latin terms regarding love, relationships, and unions into English, he discusses the wider context of marriage and unions in the classical world and early Christian Europe.

The book attracted widespread academic and popular attention on publication. Reviews in academic, peer-reviewed journals were mixed, with some scholars arguing that Boswell's translation of key terms was incorrect. The book was also widely reviewed in the mainstream media and the Christian media, with some conservative reviewers^{[citation needed]} claiming that it was written to support the "gay agenda".