For ancient Greeks, rape was natural, normal sexual behavior. Adultery, meanwhile was considered a crime, according to a recent Spectator Magazine article. In ancient Greece, rape was a violent act but not against the victim; it was considered violence against the protector of the woman – her husband, father or legal guardian. Legally, rape was considered damage of his property. It was punishable by law as violence, but the penalty was usually a fine assessed by the jury at court. Ancient Greeks had a very different understanding of adultery. Adultery was considered a crime because it damaged the most sacred of their institutions: the family. It was also punishable by law. If the husband caught his wife in the act, he could kill the adulterer on the spot and was automatically divorced from his wife. Adultery was considered such a vile act because it included the act of seduction and was considered deceptive: a man was trying to subvert a woman’s loyalty to her family. An adulterous couple was more likely to produce children. This posed a danger to society: only legitimate children could be full citizens, and adultery was considered a social threat.
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