«Senza dire cos’alcuna, li lasciai fare il loro interesse». Relazioni sessuali tra uomini nel ghetto di Ancona (XVIII secolo)

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the interconnections between the history of sexuality and the history of Jews, particularly in the realm of male homosexual relations, in order to enrich the understanding of the functioning of ghettos in modern Italy. The analysis is based on a judicial file preserved in the archive of the Jewish Community of Ancona, which documents a 1736 proceeding. The author reconstructs the in flagrante arrest of two men from the ghetto, Isach Vitale Trevi and Isach Michele Monsignore (or Bonsignore), accused of “carnalità” (sexual acts). The essay highlights the defensive strategy of the accused, providing a framework for understanding the dynamics of solidarity and cross-control within the ghetto.