The Economy of Prostitution in the Roman World: A Study of Social History and the BrothelIn recent years, a number of classical scholars have turned their attention to prostitution in the ancient world. Close examination of the social and legal position of Roman meretrices and Greek hetairai have enriched our understanding of ancient sexual relationships and the status of women in these societies. These studies have focused, however, almost exclusively on the legal and literary evidence. McGinn approaches the issues from a new direction, by studying the physical venues that existed for the sale of sex, in the context of the Roman economy. Combining textual and material evidence, he provides a detailed study of Roman brothels and other venues of venal sex (from imperial palaces and privates houses to taverns, circuses, and back alleys) focusing on their forms, functions, and urban locations. The book covers the central period of Roman history, roughly from 200 B.C. to A.D. 250. It will especially interest social and legal historians of the ancient world, and students of gender, sexuality, and the family. Thomas A. J. McGinn is Associate Professor of Classical Studies at Vanderbilt University. |
Contents
1 Urban Renewal | 1 |
2 Basic Economics | 14 |
3 Zoning Shame | 78 |
4 Honor and Erotic Art | 112 |
5 The Forces of Law and Order | 134 |
6 The Local Demographics of Venal Sex | 167 |
7 The Great Pompeian BrothelGap | 182 |
8 The Best of All Possible Brothels | 220 |
9 The City of Venus | 240 |
10 Leaving Las Vegas | 256 |
Appendices | 265 |
| 303 | |
| 333 | |
| 351 | |
| 355 | |
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The Economy of Prostitution in the Roman World: A Study of Social History ... Thomas McGinn No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
aediles ancient apodyterium argue asses Augustine Augustine’s caupona CCSL cellae cellae meretriciae chap Christian clients Controlling Vice 1998 Corrupting Sea 2000 Corte cribs cultures cunnilingus DeFelice denarius discussion domus door economic elite erotic art Eschebach and Müller-Trollius establishment evidence example fact fellatio Fiorelli Forum Frauenhaus 1992 Ganimede graffiti Guilty Without Trial Guzzo and Scarano Harsin Hershatter Horden and Purcell identified from context Jacobelli Jashemski literary Looking at Lovemaking Lovemaking 1998 lupanar male Mart Masonry bed McGinn medieval modern moral zoning nineteenth-century Offers fellatio Ostia paintings perhaps pimps Pompeian Pompeii popina possible brothel Priapus private house prosti Prostitution 1985 Prostitution in Nevada Purpose-Built Brothel Roman brothels Roman city Rome sale of sex Savunen Scarano Ussani Schuster seems sexual slave social Subura suggests taverns tion titutes Torre 93 Treggiari upper-class upstairs urban venal sex venues Wallace-Hadrill women