The Sultan's Sex Potions: Arab Aphrodisiacs in the Middle Ages

Arabic erotic literature has a long and rich history going back as far as the ninth century. Far from being the pursuit of prurient pornographers, eroticism and sexuality received considerable attention from scholars.

Written by leading thirteenth—century scientist Naṣīr al—Dīn al—Ṭūsī, The Sultan’s Sex Potions is part of a group of works devoted to aphrodisiacs as well as sexual practices and positions. Sober and measured in tone, the treatise was intended as a manual for self—healin...