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Ancient and modern

The age of consent according to Aristotle

Rather charmingly, he wanted both parties to reach the end of their reproductive cycles together

23 November 2013

9:00 AM

23 November 2013

9:00 AM

Prime Minister Cameron has rejected the proposal that the age of sexual consent be reduced from 16 to 15, arguing that it was needed to ‘protect children’. In the ancient world, there was no such notion. Girls were to be protected from rape and seduction, but that was because they were destined for marriage, whose purpose was the production of legitimate children.

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