Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society The Strangest Tudor & Stuart Aphrodisiacs
Aug 12, 2025
Join Dr. Jennifer Evans, a historian specializing in early modern history, as she dives into the bizarre world of Tudor and Stuart aphrodisiacs. Discover the ridiculous yet fascinating ingredients like sparrows and garlic that were believed to ignite passion. Evans humorously links mystical remedies and anatomical foods to romantic attraction, dissecting how societal influences shaped views on desire and fertility. Explore how these quirky beliefs reflect cultural norms and medical practices of the time, shining a light on the complexities of attraction in historical marriages.
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Period Pantry Of Provokers
- Kate Lister reads 16th-17th century lists of aphrodisiacs like rockets, garlic, onions and sparrows as sexual stimulants.
- The hosts contrast these odd staples with modern choices like oysters and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Aphrodisiacs Meant Fertility
- Jennifer Evans explains early modern aphrodisiacs aimed to boost fertility as well as desire, called "provokers of venery."
- Remedies were chosen to make the body more likely to conceive, not just to increase pleasure.
Desire Was A Matter Of Heat
- Jennifer Evans describes sexual desire in the humoral model as tied to bodily heat, with phrases like "kindling Cupid's fire."
- Heaty foods like ginger, cinnamon and pepper were prescribed to warm cold constitutions and provoke lust.
