ILLUSTRATIONS
COLORPLATES
IFrescoi,easternmostfrescoonthesouthernsideofthehallway IIFrescoii,southernsideofthehallway,secondfromtheeast IIIFrescoiii,southernsideofthehallway,secondfromthewest IVFrescoiv,westernmostfrescoonthesouthernsideofthehallway VFrescov,southernfrescoabovethelatrine VIFrescovi,northernfrescoabovethelatrine VIIFrescovii,northernsideofthehallway,betweenroomsbandc VIIIFrescoviii,northernsideofhallway,betweenroomscandd IXRight-handeroticvignette,northeastantechamberwallofroomD oftheVilladellaFarnesinainRome
XGiuseppeFiorelli’scorkmodelofPompeiiintheNational ArchaeologicalMuseumofNaples
FIGURES
1 Purpose-builtbrothel,facingnorthwest page 2
2 MapofthesouthwesternregionsofPompeii 3
3 Latenineteenth-centuryphotographofinteriorofthe purpose-builtbrothel 15
4 Planoftheground floor 16 5 Interiorofroomf 17 6 Northsideofmainhallway 17 7 Interiorofroomd 18 8 Interior,facingeast 19 9 Westend,facingsouth 20 10 Thresholdofdoorway 18 20
11 Planofpartofasubterraneanstructure,ForumBoarium,Rome 21
12 Planofapartiallysubterraneanstructure,RomanForum,Rome 22
13 Planofsubterraneanlevelofanelitehousealongthe upperViaSacra,Rome 23
14 Drawingofwoodenbed/couchwith fulcrum 26
15 Viewoftheinteriorfromdoorway 18 27 16 Viewoftheinteriorfromdoorway 19 28
17 Planoftheground floor,withsightlinesbetweenplatforms 29
18 Viewfromplatformofroomc 29
TerracottalampfromPompeii(MANNinv. 27865)
Fresco(sceneII),room 7 oftheSuburbanBaths,Pompeii
Frescovii,northernsideofthehallway,betweenroomsbandc
27696
TerracottalampfromPompeiiorHerculaneum(MANNinv. 27862)
Bronzebellfoundindoorway 18 (MANNinv. 119069)
floor
Graffitoofaphallus,westwallofroomf
floor(SAPinv. 18098/B)
63 Mapofareaaroundthepurpose-builtbrothel 114
64 Detailofgraffito,westwallofroomf 121
65 Detailofgraffito,eastwallofroomf 123
66 Linedrawingofgraffito,northwallofroomd 133
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thisprojectstartedin 2004 asaseminarpaperforJenniferTrimble’sgraduate seminaronArtandTextintheRomanWorld,andfromtheredevelopedinto achapterofmydissertation.ManythankstoJenforadvisingandshepherding methroughthedevelopmentofthisprojectwhileIwasatStanford,tomy dissertationcommittee(SusannaBraund,WalterScheidel,andBarbVossin additiontoJenTrimble)fortheirfeedbackandcontinuingmentorshipand supportovertheyears,andtoDarianTotten,whosefriendshiphelpedme throughoutgraduateschoolandbeyond.
IamgratefulfortheopportunitytohavespenttwoyearsasaMellon PostdoctoralFellowatRiceUniversity’sHumanitiesResearchCenter,where Isharedmyworkinprogresswithaninterdisciplinarycommunityoffellow fellows,RiceUniversityfaculty,andexternalfellows.IthankNicholasShumway,DeanofHumanities;CarolineLevanderandScottMcGill,Directorsof theHRC;MelissaBailar,AssociateDirectoroftheHRC;HarveyYunis, ChairoftheDepartmentofClassics;DianeWolfthal,ChairoftheDepartment ofArtHistory;andDominicBoyerandCymeneHoweoftheDepartmentof Anthropology.Ialsoappreciatethefriendshipandfeedbackoftheother postdoctoralfellowsatRice(includingOliviaBanner,MichaelGavin,Jenn Tyburczy,andWilsonWill).
AttheUniversityofSanDiego,IthankMaryBoyd,DeanofHumanities, whoprovidedresearchfundingfortheproject;KenSerbin,Chairofthe DepartmentofHistory;andallofmycolleaguesintheDepartmentofHistory (TomBarton,IrisEngstrand,MichaelGonzalez,JimGump,MollyMcClain, KathrynStatler,YiSun,andespeciallyClaraOberleandColinFisher).
IconductedthebulkoftheresearchforthisprojectasAndrewHeiskell PostdoctoralRomePrizeFellowattheAmericanAcademyinRome(with additionalresearchcarriedoutlaterasaVisitingScholar).IthankMark Robbins,PresidentoftheAAR;KimBowesandJohnOchsendorf,Directors oftheAAR;LindsayHarris,AndrewW.MellonProfessor-in-Charge;Cristina Puglisi,DeputyDirector;SebastianHierl,DrueHeinzLibrarian;GiuliaBarra, PermissionsandProgramsAssociate;ValentinaFollo,Curator,Norton-Van BurenArchaeologicalStudyCollection;GianpaoloBattaglia,SeniorOfficer forResidentialServices;andtheinimitable,latePinaPasquantonio,Assistant
DirectorofOperations.Myprojectbenefitedgreatlyfromconsultingthe holdingsoftheArthurandJanetC.RossLibraryandtheBarbaraGoldsmith RareBookRoom,aswellasfromconversationswiththeentireAAR community,includingfellowfellows,fellowtravelers,visitingscholars,visiting artists,andotherfriendsoftheAAR.I’mespeciallygratefultoMassimo Betello,IppolitaConestabile,LisaFentress,DanieleGiorgi,StevenHughes, AnneLaidlaw,andAnnaSerottaforassistingmeinvariouspartsoftheproject. ThetalentedandkindstaffattheAARtrulymadetheAcademyahomeaway fromhome;awarmthankyouisespeciallyowedtoChrisBehr,Tizianadel Grosso,AlessandroLima,andGabrielSoareoftheRomeSustainableFood Project.
ThedirectorsandstaffofthelibrariesandarchivesIconsulted(theSIAV databaseatBoscoreale;theArchivioFotografico,ArchivioStorico,andstoreroomsoftheNationalArchaeologicalMuseumofNaples;theArchivio Fotografico,CasaBacco,andtheLaboratorioRicercheApplicateatPompeii; theAcademiaBelgicaRoma,theÉcolefrançaisedeRome;theSalaStudioat theArchivioCentraledelloStatoinRome)werekindenoughtoallowmeto accesstheirholdings,whichprovidedanunmatchedresourceforthisproject. IamgratefulespeciallytoDott.ssaTeresaElenaCinquantaquattro,Soprintendente,SoprintendenzaperiBeniArcheologicidiNapoli;Dott.ssaAdele Campanelli,Soprintendente,SoprintendenzaArcheologiadellaCampania; Prof.MassimoOsanna,DirettoreGenerale,ParcoArcheologicodiPompei; Dott.ssaGreteStefani,Direttrice,UfficioScavidiPompei;Dott.ssaAnnamaria Sodo,Direttrice,ScavidiBoscoreale;Dott.PaoloGiulierini,Direttore,Museo ArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli;Dott.ssaValeriaSampaolo,Direzionedel MuseoArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli;Dott.ssaPaolaRubinoDeRitis, MuseoArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli;Dott.AndreaMilanese,Archivio Storico,MuseoArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli;Dott.ssaMichelaStaiano, ArchivioStorico,MuseoArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli;Dott.Enrico AngeloStanco,ArchivioFotografico,MuseoArcheologicoNazionaledi Napoli;Dott.MicheleBorgongino,ArchivioFotografico,Pompeii;Pamela Anastasio,Bibliotecadell’AcademiaBelgica,Rome;andSig.raPagano,Casa Bacco,Pompeii.
AttheUniversityofWashington,IwouldliketothanktheDepartmentof ClassicsanditssupportersforanEndowedFacultyFellowshipinClassics; KathleenWoodward,DirectoroftheSimpsonCenterfortheHumanities, forresearchfunding;AlainGowingandCathyConnors,Chairsofthe DepartmentofClassics;AmityNeumeisterandLauraTagliapietra,Director andBudgetandOperationsAdministrator,respectively,oftheUWRome Center,fortheirhelpinsecuringimagepermissions;mycolleaguesinthe DepartmentofClassics(inadditiontotheabove,JimClauss,Stephen Hinds,AlexHollmann,DeborahKamen,OlgaLevaniouk,SarahStroup,
andespeciallyRubyBlondell,KateTopper,andLarryBliquez);SandraJoshel, whoprovidedmuchappreciatedfeedback;andDebRaftus,MoragStewart, andAngelaWeaveroftheUniversityofWashingtonLibraries.
Inadditiontothosealreadymentionedabove,Iconsultednumerouscolleaguesduringmyresearchandwriting,whogenerouslysharedtheirexpertise withme:RebeccaBenefiel,BettinaBergmann,JoanneBerry,JohnClarke, MagdaCodognotto,HilaryCool,CurtisDozier,EugeneDwyer,SteveEllis, AmandaHallHeight,RosarioPaone,andAmbraSpinelli.Iappreciatethe insightfulcommentsoftheanonymousreviewersofthismanuscript,aswellas theanonymousreviewersofthevariousarticlesandchapterswhichcontributedtopartsofthisbook.
IappreciatethefeedbackofaudienceswhereIhavepresentedaspectsofthis projectovertheyears,includingattheUNC-DukeGraduateColloquium; thePugetSoundSocietyoftheAIA;thePortlandSocietyoftheAIA; GonzagaUniversity;RecentWorkinVesuvianLands(SymposiumCampanum);theUniversityofCincinnati;theUniversityofVictoria;theClassical AssociationofVancouverIsland;GreenCollegeattheUniversityofBritish Columbia;theAnnualMeetingofCAPNatEvergreenCollege;Stanford University;theIntercollegiateCenterforClassicalStudiesinRome;the AnnualMeetingoftheAIAinNewOrleans;JohnCabotUniversity/the RomeSocietyoftheAIA;LoyolaMarymountUniversity;theAnnualMeetingofCAMWSinIowaCity;theIstitutoItalianodiCulturainVancouver; theAnnualMeetingoftheAPAinSeattle;theUniversityofVirginia;the UniversityofHouston;theAnnualMeetingoftheAPAinAnaheim;CaliforniaStateUniversity,LongBeach;AncientGraffitiinContextattheUniversity ofLeicester;theWorldArchaeologicalCongressinDublin;and “Seeing thePast:BuildingKnowledgeofthePastandPresentthroughActsofSeeing” (the 2005 StanfordArchaeologyCenterGraduateStudentConference).
Isavethemostimportantthankyousforlast.Myfamily – NancyLevinand DavidWeinfeld;DouglasRichardsonandLianneCook;JennyRichardson, VictorVasquezLopez,andmysmart,delightfulnephews;andHelene Kamen – hassupportedmewithgoodhumorandcheer,evenwhenworking onthebookprojectmeantmelivingfarawayorbeinginlessfrequentcontact thanusual.You’rethebestfamilyanyonecouldhopefor.Icouldnothave writtenthisbookwithoutthetirelesslove,inspiration,andhelpofmypartner, DeborahKamen.Fromhersuggestiontoturnthedissertationchapteronthe brothelintoabook,tothreelong,colddaysinthebrotheldecipheringgraffiti, tofeedbackatnearlyallstagesofresearchandwriting(alllapsesandmistakes remainmyown,ofcourse),shehassupportedmethrougheverystageofthis project,andforthatIamalwaysandforevergrateful.
ABBREVIATIONS
AbbreviationsofGreekandLatinauthorsandworksfollowthefourthedition ofthe OxfordClassicalDictionary.Otherabbreviationsarelistedbelow.
AEL’Annéeépigraphique
CBCasadiBacco
CILCorpusInscriptionumLatinarum
CTPCorpusTopographicumPompeianum
EDREpigraphicDatabaseRoma
GdSopGiornaledeisoprastanti
[CN]handwrittencopyintheArchivioStoricoofthe SoprintendenzadiNapoli
[CR]handwrittencopyintheArchiviodelloStato,Rome
[OR]originalhandwrittenjournalintheArchiviodello Stato,Rome
Graf.Pal.GraffitidelPalatino
ILSInscriptionesLatinaeSelectae
LGPNLexiconofGreekPersonalNames
LibretteLibretteinventariali
LIMCLexiconIconographicumMythologiaeClassicae
LSJ Liddell-Scott-Jones, Greek-EnglishLexicon
MAHMagazzinoArcheologicodiErcolano
MANNMuseoArcheologicoNazionalediNapoli
MAPMagazzinoArcheologicodiPompei
NotamentiNotamentideglioggettispeditialMuseoNazionale
OEDOxfordEnglishDictionary
RapportoRapportodell’architetto
RERealencyclopädiederclassischenAltertumswissenschaft
SAPSoprintendenzaArcheologicadiPompei
SIAVSistemaInformativoArcheologicoVesuviano
Tab.Vindol.TabulaeVindolandae
TLLThesaurusLinguaeLatinae
INTRODUCTION
Pompeii’ s “purpose-built” brothel(VII.12 18–20;see Fig. 1),reopenedto thepublicwithgreatfanfareafterrestorationsin 2006, 1 isaninternationally celebratedtouristattraction.Indeed,itisoneofthemostvisitedsites(ifnot the mostvisitedsite)inancientPompeii,withupto 455 touristsvisitingiteach hour.2 Excavatedin 1862,thesmalltwo-storystructureintheneighborhood betweenPompeii’sforumanditsmainnorth–southbusinessthoroughfare (see Fig. 2)hasfascinatedgenerationsofscholarsandtouristsalike.More importantly,astheonlystructurethatfulfillsallscholarlycriteriaforanancient Romanbrothel(seemoreonthecriteriabelow),Pompeii’spurpose-built brothelhasbecomethescholarlytouchstoneagainstwhichallotherpossible brothelsfromtheRoman(andoftenGreek)worldarecompared.3 Inaddition, itplaysacentralroleindiscussionsofancientprostitution,genderandsexuality,moralzoning,anderoticart.4
Despitethisimportance,therehasyettobeasystematictreatmentofthe structure,andsomecategoriesofevidence,suchastheobjectsfoundduring excavation,remainvirtuallyunknown.Thisbook fillsthatvoidbyexamining allofthepurpose-builtbrothel’smaterialevidence(architecture,archaeologicalobjects,graffiti,andfrescoes,includingtheupper floor)in PartI,and thenexploringthephysical,social,andemotionalexperiencesofthosewho patronizedandworkedintheestablishment(maleclients,femaleprostitutes, andmaleprostitutes)in PartII.
1. Purpose-builtbrothel,facingnorthwest.To therightistheVicolodelLupanare,andtothe leftistheVicolodelBalconePensile.The woodengateontheVicolodelBalcone Pensileismodern,controllingthe flowof touristsintoandoutofthebuilding. Photographbyauthor,suconcessionedel MinisterodeiBeniedelleAttivitàCulturalie delTurismo – Soprintendenzaspecialeperi BeniarcheologicidiNapoliePompei.
ROMANPROSTITUTION ANDBROTHELS
Scholarshipoverthepastfewdecadeshas greatlyexpandedourunderstandingof ancientRomanprostitution.5 Mostimportant forthestudyathand,thisscholarshiphas illuminatedthelegalcontoursofRoman prostitution,itscentralroleindefining – via contrast – Romanhonor,anditsessentialrole inRomansocietyandubiquityintheurban landscape.6 Forthosewhoarenewtothe studyofRomanprostitution,itisfundamentaltoknowthattheenterprisewaslegal(and eventaxedatcertaintimes),7 andthatRoman menpatronizedbothfemaleand(usually young)maleprostitutes,manyofwhomwere probablyenslavedindividuals.8 Whilenumerouscivic,legal,andsocialprivilegeswere deniedtopimpsandprostitutesonaccount oftheirlackofhonor,9 clientssufferedno legal(andrarelysocial)repercussions:shame mightresultifaRomanmanwasperceivedto spendtoomuchtimeormoneyontheservicesofprostitutes,althoughthisrepresentsa largerconcernfor fiscalresponsibilityandthe idealsofmoderationthanforprostitution.10
Anevocativeexampleoftherolethatbrothelswerethoughtto fillcomes fromapassageoftheAugustan-age(late firstcenturyBCEthroughearly first centuryCE)poetHorace,whoclaimsthatthenotoriouslyconservativepoliticianandmoralistCatotheElderoncesaidtoayoungmanexitingabrothel, “Welldone,sir;forassoonasfoullustswellstheveins,itisrightforyoungmen tocomehere,andnottogrindawayatothermen’swives.”11 Prostitution, then,wasthoughttodirectmalesexualenergyawayfromfreebornwomen (thuspreservingmen’ssexualrightsovertheirwivesandtheircontrolof paternity)andtowardsexualobjectswithnohonortobesullied.12
Perhapsbecauseofthisessentialfunction,prostitutionwascommoninthe urbanlandscape.FromthetombsliningtheroadsleadingintoRomancities, totheshadowsofthecitywalls,tothebars,taverns,andinnswithincities,to themainentertainmentandciviccenters,literaryandarchaeologicalevidence suggeststhatsexcouldbeboughtnearlyanywhere.13 Eveninthesymbolic heartofRomeitself,theRomanForum,maleprostitutesweresaidtosell
2. MapofthesouthwesternregionsofPompeii.Thepurpose-builtbrothel(VII.12 18-20), indicatedwithaheavycircle,islocatedattheintersectionofVicolodelLupanare(running north–south)andtheVicolodelBalconePensile(runningeast–west).Threeblockstothewest istheforum,andoneblocktotheeastisPompeii’smajornorth–southarterial,theViaStabia. UnderlyingmapDobbinsandFoss 2007,usedwithpermissionoftheauthors.
themselvesontheVicusTuscus.14 AtPompeii,atleast,establishmentswhere sexwassoldclusteredincertainareasoftown;this,plusthelackofhonor associatedwiththosewhosoldsex,hasledscholarstoexaminethepotential forancientequivalentsofmoralzoning.AndrewWallace-Hadrillarguesthat Romanmagistratesknownasaedileszoneddishonorableactivitiesawayfrom Pompeii’smaincivicandreligiousareasinordertopreservethehonorand purityofthoseareas;15 RayLaurencesuggeststhataninformalsystemof coercionencouragedestablishmentsthathosted “deviant” activitiestobe locatedoutofelitewomen’sandchildren’sview.16 ThomasMcGinnraises seriousconcernsabouteachargument,offeringinhisturn – convincingly,in myopinion – thattheclusteringofestablishmentswheresexwassoldwasdue toeconomicconsiderations,namely,proximitytohigh-trafficareasandthus customers.17
Itiswithinthecontextofthepervasivenessofprostitutionthatthesearchfor Romanbrothels – especiallyatPompeii,whoseunsurpassedstateofpreservationisowedtotheeruptionofMountVesuviusintheyear 79 CE – mustbe understood.IdentifyingRomanbrothelsinthearchaeologicalrecordhas neverbeenanexactscience.Evennowdebatecontinuesabout(1)howwe should define anancientRomanbrothel,(2)howwecanthen identify those structuresamongexcavatedruins,and(3)whetherweshouldevenfocuson brothelsatall,giventhediversityofplaceswhereprostitutiontookplaceinthe Romanworld.18
Theclearestarticulationofcriteriaforidentifyingplacesofprostitution (atPompeii,specifically)comesfromWallace-Hadrill’sinfluential 1995 article, thoughasMcGinn’shistoriographyofthetopicdemonstrates,Wallace-Hadrill certainlywasnotthe firsttoidentifybrothelsatPompeii,norarehiscriteria universallyaccepted(theyarequitepopular,however).19 Wallace-Hadrillproposesthefollowingthreecriteriaasmarkersofastructurewheresexwassold:20
1.masonrybedinasmallroomeasilyaccessibletothepublic
2.sexuallyexplicitfrescoes
3.clusterofsexuallyexplicitgraffiti
Applyingthesecriteriaresultsindifferenttypesofstructureswheresexmay havebeensoldatPompeii,includingsuitesatthebackofbarsortavernsand singleroomsopeningontothestreet.21 McGinnproposestwoadditional criteriaforidentifyingabrothelproper.First,hestatesthattoqualifyasa brothel,amajorsourceofincomeshouldcomefromprostitution;22 thisthen mightexcludesuitesofroomsatthebackofbarsfromthestrictdefinitionofa brothel(sincepresumablythesaleofsexwassecondarytothesaleoffood/ drink).Next,henotesthatabrothelshouldbeabletohostmorethanone prostituteatatime;thisinturnexcludesthesinglerooms.23 What’sleftare structuresthatcanhostmultipleprostitutesatthesametimeandhavethe
majorityoftheirincomefromsex.Thisdescribesexactly one agreed-on structurefromtheRomanworld,thestructuretowhichMcGinngivesthe name “purpose-builtbrothel” (VII.12.18–20).24
Brothelsproperthusseemtohavebeentheexceptionratherthantherule. Thisraisesseveralquestions:whyinvestin,orpatronize,apurpose-built brothelifsexcouldbeboughtandsoldinsomanyplaces?Ontheotherhand, whyweren’t more brothelsbuilt?Moreover,ifthepurpose-builtbrothelis unique,towhatextentcantheinformationgatheredfromstudyingitapply outside theconfinesofthestructure?
Iofferanswerstothesequestionsthroughoutthebookandaddressthem directlyinthe Conclusion,butinshort,IsuggestthatPompeii’spurpose-built brothelwasmeanttooffernotjustaquicktumblewithastreetwalker,buta sexualexperiencewithdrinking,socializing,andthe fictionofemotional relationships.The “businessmodel” (totheextentthatwecanusethatmodern phrase)ofapurpose-builtbrothel,however,maynothavebeeneconomically sustainableor flexibleenough,andthusprostitutionmayhaverevertedbackto placesthatdidnotrequireapurpose-builtsetup(barsandtaverns,for example).Finally,Isuggestthatthese findingshavewiderimplicationsfor ourunderstandingofRomanprostitution,urbanspace,andsocialhierarchy.
APPROACHINGTHEPURPOSE-BUILTBROTHEL
GiuseppeFiorelli,Pompeii’sInspectorofExcavationswhenthepurpose-built brothelwasexcavated,describedthestructureforhis 1875 DescrizionediPompei thus: “Onecamethentoabrothel,whichifnothavingothercluescouldbe recognizablefromthegloomyandnarrowspaceinwhichitwasconfined.”25 Theothercluestoidentifyingthestructureasabrothel – frescoeswith “obscenerepresentations” anderoticgraffitithathe “abstain[ed]from referencing”– makeFiorelliapredecessorfortwoofthethreecriteria Wallace-Hadrillpositedfordeterminingplacesthatsoldsex(asabove).26 Fiorellicanbeseenasapredecessorofmodernscholarsinanotherway,too: namely,inapproachingthepurpose-builtbrothelthroughthelensofRoman literatureaboutbrothels.
Fiorelli’sdescriptionofthe “gloomyandnarrowspace” ofthebrothelis purposefullymeanttorecallPetronius’srepresentationofabrothelinthe Satyricon,atextwritteninthereignofNero(lessthanagenerationbefore theeruptionofVesuvius)andsetintheBayofNaples.27 Whenournarrator, Encolpius,haslosthiswayinatownheisvisiting,herelates: Iapproachedalittleoldladysellingfarmproduce. “Tellme,mother, ” Isaid, “haveyouanyideawhereIhangout?” Shewastickledbysuch asininewit,andreplied: “Yes;noproblem.” Shethengotupandbegan toleadtheway.Ithoughtshehadsecondsight,andfollowedafterher.
Then,whenwereachedsomehole-in-the-cornerplace[inlocumsecretiorem],thewittyoldcreaturedrewbackapatchworkcurtain,andsaid: “Thismustbewhereyoustay.” IwasjustremarkingthatIdidnot recognizethelodgingwhenmyeyesfellonsomemenfurtivelypacing amongtheprice-tagsandnakedprostitutes.Itslowlydawnedonmeall toolatethatI’dbeenbroughttoabrothel.28
Notonlyisthe fictionalbrothelpresentedashidden(inlocumsecretiorem),but thesectionwhichfollowsclarifiesthatitwasentered peramfractus obscurissimos, “throughthedarkesttwistyalleys.”29 Thesepassagesareinevitably broughtupindiscussionsofmoralzoningtobolsterclaimsthatthepurposebuiltbrothelwaslikewise “hiddenawayonthenarrowbackstreets.”30
Otherliterarydepictionsalsodrawattentiontothespectacleofnaked prostitutesandprowlingclients,whileaddingthesordidnessoftheatmosphere.InapassagemeanttoinsulttheformerRomanemperorClaudiusby representinghiswifeMessalinaasaprostitute,Juvenal(awriterofsatirical poemsinthelate firstandearlysecondcenturiesCE)paintsapictureof Messalinaout-whoringwhores:
ListentowhatClaudiusputupwith.Whenhiswiferealisedherhusband wasasleep,shewouldleave,withnomorethanasinglemaidasher escort.PreferringamattoherbedroominthePalace,shehadthenerve toputonanighttimehood,thewhore-empress.Likethat,withablonde wighidingherblackhair,shewentinsideabrothelreekingofancient blanketstoanemptycubicle – herveryown.Thenshestoodthere, nakedandforsale,withhernipplesgilded,underthetradenameof “She-Wolf,” puttingondisplaythebellyyoucamefrom,noble-born Britannicus.Shewelcomedcustomersseductivelyastheycameinand askedfortheirmoney.Later,whenthepimpwasalreadydismissinghis girls,sheleftreluctantly,waitingtillthelastpossiblemomenttoshuther cubicle,stillburningwithherclitorisinflamedandstiff.Shewentaway, exhaustedbythemenbutnotyetsatis fied,and,adisgustingcreature, withhercheeks filthy,dirtyfromthesmokeofthelamp,shetookback totheemperor’scouchthestenchofthebrothel.31
Thesearethebest-knownpassagesfeaturingRomanbrothels – althoughone couldpointtoothers32 – andcollectivelytheyformpartofRome’scultural imaginaryaboutbrothels,andfromthere,the modern scholarlyimaginary aboutancientRomanbrothels.Itishard not tothinkofthesepassageswhen approachingPompeii’spurpose-builtbrothel,but,asMcGinnpointsout, literaryrepresentationsofbrothels “areimpossiblyvague – theyarenotreally intendedasfulloraccuratedescriptionsofbrothels – andladenwithclichés. Theybetrayanupper-classsensibilityabouthowdirty,smoky,andsmelly brothelswere,inotherwords,howlow-class,ratherthanimpartmuchinformationthatisusefultous.”33
Itistime,then,toexaminethepurpose-builtbrothelonitsownterms. In PartI,Iapproachthepurpose-builtbrothelwithstandardmethodologies foreachtypeofmaterialevidence,havingassembledallofthearchival documentationrelatedtotheexcavationandsubsequentrestorationsofthe structure(muchofitunpublished).Thisprojectthuscontributestoacurrent trendinprostitutionstudiestoconductcarefulandrigorousexaminationof thematerialcultureofprostitution,andlikethatbodyofwork,showsthat archaeologicalevidenceiswellpositionedtoprovidesupplementsandcorrectivestoinformationderivedfromliterarysources.34
Inexploringtheexperiencesofthepurpose-builtbrothel’sprostitutesand clientsin PartII,theprojectdrawsinspirationfromrecentscholarshipin Classicsandother fieldsthathassoughttorecenterthelivesofmarginalized groupssuchasslaves,prostitutes,andtheworkingclass.35 RebeccaFlemming in 1999 alreadycalledfornewapproachestoancientRomanprostitution, observing: “therehasnotbeenanyseriousefforttotaketheperspectiveofthe prostitutesthemselvesintoaccount,whichisoneofthemostemphatic developmentsinthenewhistoriographyofprostitutionemerging elsewhere.”36 Indeed,recentscholarshiponmodernprostitution,especially intheUnitedStates,hasprovidedamajorsourceofinspirationforthisproject. TherearenumerousareasinwhichancientRomanprostitutionandmodern prostitutionintheUnitedStatesdiffer,especiallyinthelegalityofsellingand buyingsex,andtheentanglementofslaveryandprostitutioninantiquity.Ido notintendtoarguethatdirectcomparisonsarewarranted;however,new directionsinthe study ofmodernprostitutioncanprovideprovocativelinesof questioningandnewinterpretativelensesforexploringancientprostitution.37 Forexample,RonaldWeitzerandothershavenotedthatvictimization, exploitation,andagencyinteractinmorecomplexwaysthanmodernscholarlydichotomiesofprostitutesas either victimizedsexualobjects or agents recognize.38 Thekey,Weitzersuggests,istolistento “thewaysinwhich sexworkersthemselvesexperienceanddescribetheirwork.”39 DavidHenry SterryandR.J.Martin’ s 2009 editedvolume, Hos,Hookers,CallGirls,and RentBoys:ProfessionalsWritingonLife,Love,Money,andSex,allowsustodo justthat.Sterrywritesofhismotivation, “Iwanttoputafacetopeoplewho areglamorizedandvilified,worshippedandhated,sexualizedandarrested; tocelebrate,illuminate,andhumanizehumanswhohavelivedinthis ancient ... industry.”40 Oneofthecontributorstothevolume,thewellknownactivistandprostituteAnnieSprinkle,remindsusthatprostitutescan behumorous,playful,tough,creative,daring,caring,sexy,talented,and interesting,whilealsosufferingfromhighlevelsofviolence,shame,stigma, andexploitation.41 Motivatedbytheseapproaches,Iattempttoinvestigate howthepurpose-builtbrothel’sprostitutesactivelyframedthemselves andotherswithwords,space,andimagery;Iaskquestionsaboutprostitutes’
Another random document with no related content on Scribd:
STEALING FIRE
This tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.
In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.
Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.
Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.
[Contents]
HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLD
This version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who the Gletcówas brothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówas is just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing. Kéis got angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.
[Contents]
HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLD
It would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.
The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened [384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.
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LEMÉIS AND NUL-WE
In this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.
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WIND AND THUNDER
For ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.
Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.
Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.
Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.
Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.
The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”
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GÁUKOS AND KÛLTA
Gáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. In Guatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.” [385]
In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”
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DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDS
In this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth
Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.
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MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WIND
Moasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.
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WEST WIND’S WIVES
Is a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.
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THE STAR BROTHERS
Ko-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.
There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.
The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.
Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.
Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics [386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.
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THE RAINMAKER
The people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.
Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.
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WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUK
Tsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.
In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.”
The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.
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FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).
This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.
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YAHYÁHAÄS
Yahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will [387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.
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YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERS
As usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.
Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.
Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.
Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.
It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the mythtale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.
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TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISE
When asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.
Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.
In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.
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WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDS
This myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk. [388]
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LOK SNEWÉDJAS
Lok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.
Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.
This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.
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