Angeliki Galani, Sophia Kitsiou-Tzeli, Christalena Sofokleous, Emmanuel Kanavakis, Ariadni Kalpini-Mavrou
The end-organ resistance to androgens has been designated as Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), an X-linked disorder caused by mutations in the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene. It is generally accepted that defects in the AR gene prevent the normal development of both internal and external genital structures in 46,XY individuals …
Anastasia K. Armeni, Vasiliki Vasileiou, George Markantes, Christina Damoulari, Angelina Mandrapilia, Fotini A. Kosmopoulou, Varvara Keramisanou, Danai Georgakopoulou, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
Cases of sexual reassignment in Greco-Roman antiquity, presenting as a pubertal female-to-male gender transformation, are described in the “classical” literature. Textual evidence concerning a case of androgynism, garnered by Diodorus Siculus, among other similar accounts …
Neoklis A. Georgopoulos, George A. Vagenakis, Apostolos L. Pierris
In an Orphic account of the constitutive mythology of the Eleusinian Mysteries, there occurs the relation of a remarkable tale of sacred obscenity. The Baubo affair is pivotal for a more in-depth understanding of the symbolism involved in the most awesome mysteric cult of the ancient Greek world …
Vasiliki Vasileiou, Anastasia K. Armeni, Apostolos L. Pierris, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
In the literature of the Roman Era, a case of macrosomia and genital ambiguity in a newborn is described. Textual evidence concerning this case of androgynism and its symbolism is provided in the present study. Medical interpretation of such cases covers the entire spectrum …
Georgios K. Markantes, Efthimios Deligeoroglou, Anastasia K. Armeni, Vasiliki Vasileiou, Christina Damoulari, Angelina Mandrapilia, Fotini Kosmopoulou, Varvara Keramisanou, Danai Georgakopoulou, George Creatsas, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
Diodorus Siculus (Diodoros Sikeliotes) was a Greek historian and writer who lived in the 1st century B.C. He is renowned for his universal history, “Bibliotheca Historica” (Historical Library), in which cases of sexual reassignment occurring around his time were included …
Vasiliki Koika, Anastasia K. Armeni, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year old man, operated on for cryptorchidism at the age of 8 years, was referred to the Outpatient Clinic of Reproductive Endocrinology for investigation of infertility. Clinical examination revealed ambiguous genitalia: penis 4-5 cm, testicular volume 2-3 ml, hypospadias, hypertrophic foreskin and scrotum bifida. Mild hypertension was confirmed. No skeletal malformations were detected …
Konstantina Barouti, Georgios K. Markantes, Anastasia K. Armeni, Vasiliki Vasileiou, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
Phlegon of Tralles was a Greek historian and writer, born in Tralles, a city of Lydia in Asia Minor. He was a freedman of the emperor Hadrian, who lived in the 2nd century AD. Besides his magnum opus, “The Olympiads”, among other writings of which only fragments have survived to date, he also produced a compilation of marvelous and abnormal natural or human phenomena presented as paradoxical stories in his collection called “Book of Marvels” …
Anastasia K. Armeni, Danai Georgakopoulou, Georgios K. Markantes, Konstantina Barouti, Leonidas Liarakos, Vasiliki Vasileiou, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
In Ancient Greece, up to the Classical era, hermaphrodites were regarded as “monstrous” beings, messengers of evil or a sign of divine anger. They were consequently socially marginalized, being treated cruelly or even put to death …