Sex in ancient Rome

Where did ancient Romans go to have a holiday break from the busy streets of Rome? The answer is Pompeii. As we have seen before, Romans enjoyed living life with commodities and luxuries such as being entertained. There were a wide variety of things to do for visitors staying in Pompeii, and the most common form of entertainment that Romans preferred was having sex. They usually went to brothels called Lupanare which in Latin means the wolf’s den.

                                                      1. Typical brothel or Lupanare located in Pompeii

 The frescoes found in the structure often tell us that Romans really had fun in the huge resort of Pompeii since there were several brothels spread out they city. However, experts argue that the main purpose of the frescoes was to attract men into the brothels since the paintings were idealized pictures of people having sex in different positions and in a comfortable environment. 

                                         2. A fresco in one of the Lupanares showing idealized figures

The reality of having sex seemed a bit different. Some affirm that the service that prostitutes offered to men was quick, and there was not pleasure. In fact, prostitutes and the act of sex were seen as normal and nothing to be ashamed of in ancient Rome, except for adultery, which was heavily punished. Evidence that shows Romans were comfortable in such environments is found in the hundreds and hundreds of sculpture pieces that the ancient citizens possessed and the penis marks on the streets. These pieces depict penis forms in most of the sculptures, and most of them represent a symbol of fertility. 

                                         3. A penis carved in one of Pompeii's streets

                                                           4.

Works Cited:

Day, Michael. “Prostitution in Pompeii: 2,000 years after explosion, sex-for-cash is still rife.” Independent. Accessed November 16, 2015. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/prostitution-in-pompeii-2000-years-after-explosion-sex-for-cash-is-still-rife-a6736826.html

 

Spiegel Online International. “Pompeii's Whorehouse: Erotic Murals Re-Exposed.” Accessed October 30, 2006. http://www.spiegel.de/international/pompeii-s-whorehouse-erotic-murals-re-exposed-a-445134.html

Williams, Craig A. Roman Homosexuality: Ideologies of Masculinity in Classical Antiquity. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999

Images:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupanar_(Pompeii)#/media/File:Pompeya_lupanar.jpg

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupanar_(Pompeii)#/media/File:Pompeii_-_Lupanar_-_Erotic_Scene_-_MAN.jpg

3. https://teacherjennie.com/tag/penis-in-the-stone/

4.  https://www.google.ca/search?q=penis+pompeii&biw=1920&bih=973&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0tomKsdPNAhWtpYMKHU1YB84QsAQIJg&dpr=1.33#imgrc=fVpO_gCBczJBFM%3A