[halviti]

Actually they are meant to be depicted as small for a reason, or at least this is what I was taught by multiple university professors.

The reason a depiction of a smaller penis was preferred is that it was a sign of fertility. Men with smaller penises were seen as genetically more likely to be able to impregnate a woman, and thus was a desired trait at the time.

From the second response on your quora link:

>The ancient Greeks believed that short penises allowed the man's seed to travel a lesser distance before entering the woman's body and impregnating her. A small penis was seen as being more virile. A long penis meant the seed had further to travel, and had less chance of impregnating a woman.

[zkhalique]

I heard from my professors that a smaller penis represented sophrosyne (latin temperantia) rather than great unconstrained passions, a desirable trait.

[exelius]

This is more in line with what I had read as well. A large penis was seen as "barbaric" or "brutish", while the average cosmopolitan man (who would be able to view such statues) desired to be in control of himself. This is all in line with the teachings of Aristotle; which pretty much defined the ideal man in the western world from about 600 BC until more modern philosophers started writing in the 15th and 16th century.

[erikb]

The intelligence argument I can believe, the fertility argument I can't. What would the reason be that a small penis is more fertile?

[AnkhMorporkian]

The explanation is in the comment you're replying to. Of course it isn't an advantage, but apparently the greeks did believe that.

[bmelton]

Without trying to be crass, a smaller penis fits into a wider array of vaginas, compared to too large a penis.