Cons Of Prostitution In Pompeii

Mayira Ortuno

Guy Calabrese

HUM 2220

27 February 2015 “ Every hooker I ever speak to tells me that it beats the hell out of waitressing.”

WOODY ALLEN, Deconstructing Harry

Explicit Content: Pompeii The definition of prostitution is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment. Prostitution is considered a controversial topic, but it is an art that has been practiced throughout the existence of ancient Rome and is alive and well to this day. There is evidence of prostitution dating back to Sumerian times and maybe even Babylonian times. But the most controversial has to be prostitution in Pompeii. Pompeii is a city located in the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. It had a population of 20,000 people.

In that being said sex was quick and dirty. Thirteen side cribs have been discovered so far. One hundred fifty three local taverns and hotels. And forty-one brothels. The biggest, oldest and located near the forum and the market place was lupine Grande. Lupi roman for dean of the she- wolf. In 1862 pious Catholics because of its pornographic covered it up. It was finally restored and opened to the public in 2006. There are three ways to identify a brothel one is pornographic pictures, graffiti and small closed in rooms. The lupine Grande was two stores on the first floor were five rooms with stone beds and stone pillows. It was believed that these beds had straw or mattress to make them more comfortable. Above these rooms it was decorated with exotic pictures. Two theories of these pictures was that it provided a sort of menu were they could choose what they wanted form the prostitutes. The other the theory was that provided the brothel with the fantasy of sex making it more applying. The second floor was big empty area. It was believed to be for the upper class men that could afford to rent it out. The upper classmen would throw big parties. It was decorated with expensive wooden beds, drapes and curtains. Prostitutes from Pompeii were mainly slaves ranging from Europe North Africa’s and Asia. Many prostitutes exploited there exoticness and some would dye their hair blonde or red to make them themselves look more exotic. They also

If that was the case the best thing to do would be to follow the money. Their were prostitutes in forum the hub of local government. The arches leading to amphetieres were a great pick up spots for prostitutes. Theses deans were called forincaves the modern day word fornicate comes from this. Prostitutes were also located in bathes. This is where the rich and the poor intermingled. There were 6 public baths in Pompeii that we know of. They also contacted explicit frescos located in the men’s locker room. These frescos located above the locker rooms were boxes containing numbers. Theories about these pictures was that when people left their clothes in particular boxes with numbers they couldn’t remember the number but the could remember the position of the locker. In 44 b.c Augustus replaces Julius Cesar unlike Cesar Augustus had a more conservative agenda. Around 10 b.c he passes a series of laws such as the elite can only marry the elite and must bare noble children. Childless couples are penalized and bachelors are taxed and adultery becomes a criminal offense. Augustus didn’t approve sex for sell but accepted. He agreed wit Cato that a married man was better having sex with prostitute or his then wife then have an affair with a married noble women. His laws caused a boom in the prostitution business because it became the legally alternative to adultery. In 40 ad