The Roman Sex Economy
Power, Prostitution, and Punishment
In ancient Rome, sex was everywhere, in brothels, taverns, inns, frescos, paintings, poetry, some people would even copulate in the streets.
A little-known fact about the ancient Romans is how prevalent and important the sex industry was to their culture and economy. For the Romans, going to a prostitute was no different to going to a barber or picking up some milk from the local store. To be a prostitute was indeed a social disgrace, but to use one was not.
But sex was not just about sexual pleasure, it was about power and money!