Sites of the Sex Trade: Spatial Analysis and Prostitution at Pompeii

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the prostitution in Pompeii with a focus on the physical space in which this social phenomenon was enacted. Despite the negative attitudes by much of Roman society towards prostitutes, the sex trade in Pompeii thrived, with numerous venues offering the sale of sex. Prostitutes stationed themselves throughout the town and solicited customers inside buildings or out on the street in whatever limited privacy could be managed. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the manner in which prostitution was present in Pompeii through the spatial analysis of venues of prostitution in the town. Among other structures including, taverns and baths, I will make a close examination of the one known purpose-built brothel, its location and layout, in order to analyze the manner in which prostitute and client could interact in such a setting. The artwork and the graffiti found within the brothel will also be useful for this examination, and will provide further insights to the customer experience in the brothel. Although prostitutes themselves were disapproved of for their lifestyle and profession, society accepted the presence of prostitution as a whole. Customers readily paid for the services of prostitutes in various venues that each offered a different environment and thus a different experience. The enjoyment had by customers during their interactions with prostitutes ensured their return business and promoted the success of the sex trade in the service industry at Pompeii.