Erotes

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title: "Erotes" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["erotes", "greek-love-and-lust-gods", "children-of-aphrodite", "sexuality-in-ancient-rome", "avian-humanoids", "lgbtq-themes-in-greek-mythology", "sexuality-in-ancient-greece", "nudity-in-mythology", "children-of-ares", "personifications-in-greek-mythology", "olympian-deities"] description: "Greek love deities" topic_path: "general/erotes" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotes" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Greek love deities ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/British_Museum_Room_20a_Campanian_hydria_Detail_Two_erotes_Danaid_Painter_19022019_6698.jpg" caption="Two Erotes, depicted on a [[Campania]]n [[hydria]] by the Danaid Painter, c. 340–320 BC"] ::

In Ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Erotes (; , érōtes) are a collective of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse. They are part of Aphrodite's retinue, along with the Charites. Erotes is the plural of Eros ("Love, Desire"), who as a singular deity has a more complex mythology.

The Erotes became a motif of Hellenistic art, and may appear in Roman art in the alternate form of multiple Cupids. In the later tradition of Western art, Erotes become indistinguishable from figures also known as Cupids, amorini, or amoretti.

General role and attributes

The Erotes are a group of winged gods in Classical mythology. They are associated with love and sexual desire, and form part of Aphrodite's retinue. Sometimes the Erotes are regarded as manifestations of a singular god, Eros.

The Erotes' pranks were a popular theme in Hellenistic art, particularly in the 2nd century CE. Spells to attract or repel Erotes were used, in order to induce love or the opposite.

The Erotes were usually portrayed as nude, handsome, winged youths. The earliest known sculptured friezes depicting a group of Erotes and winged maidens driving chariots pulled by goats, were created to decorate theatres in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE. The representation of Erotes in such friezes became common, including Erotes in hunting scenes. The presence of Erotes in otherwise non-sexual images, such as of two women, has been interpreted to indicate a homoerotic subtext.

Gallery

File:Pyxis with cupids and Aphrodite (5th cent. B.C.) at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens on 11 September 2018.jpg Classical squat lekythos ARV extra - two Erotes playing with astragaloi.jpg File:Procession of Erotes (ACMA 1451).jpg File:Symposium of Erotes, 1st century CE, fresco, House of Marcus Lucretius, triclinium 16, east wall, north section, central painting, Pompeii, MANN 9207.jpg File:Side museum sarcophagus with erotes 2 019.jpg

References

References

1. Ferguson, John. (1970). "The Religions of the Roman Empire". Cornell University Press.
2. Barkan, Leonard. (1999). "Unearthing the Past: Archaeology and aesthetics in the making of Renaissance culture". Yale University Press.
3. Strong. (1911). "Roman sculpture from Augustus to Constantine". Duckworth and Co..
4. Collins, Derek. (2008). "Magic in the Ancient Greek World". Blackwell.
5. Sturgeon, Mary Carol. (1977). "Sculpture: The reliefs from the theater". ASCSA.
6. (2002). "Among Women: From the homosocial to the homoerotic in the ancient world". University of Texas Press.
7. Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo. (2002). "Hellenistic Sculpture: The styles of ca. 100-31 B.C.". University of Wisconsin Press.
8. {{full citation needed. (March 2020Original citations were <<Younger, p. 45, "Eros/Cupid">> and <<Younger, p. 40, "Desire">> with no other reference to an author or title containing ''Younger''.)

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