Roman Prostitution

Prostitution was legal in Ancient Rome, subject to Roman Law, and the Prostitutes paid Taxes.
To distinguish themselves from respectable Roman women, Prostitutes had to wear the Roman Toga. They were not allowed to wear the ‘Stola’, worn by respectable Roman matrons.

The Prostitute had to be registered with the local Aedile or Magistratus, giving place of birth, age, and adopted name.
The Price had to be determined, at which point the licence was issued, the ‘Licentia Stupri’.
In the Coptos Tariff, to travel between Coptos and the Red Sea, Prostitutes were charged 108 Drachmas, whereas ordinary women were only charged 20 Drachmas, .
In Italy, Prostitutes were for the most part, Freedwomen, from Syria or Egypt.
Seneca, Ovid and Juvenal, all discuss Prostitutes and their appearance. They appear to have worn brightly coloured Togas and heavy make-up.
A law passed under Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE) could force women found guilty of adultery to work as Prostitutes. The law was rescinded in 389 CE.

Pompeii
- The city holds the best preserved remains of a brothel called the Lupanar.
- Lupanar or Lupanarium was the Roman word for all brothels and meant ‘wolf den’.
Rome
- In Rome the Brothels were concentrated in Regio II, the suburb between the Caelian and the Esquiline Hills.

Regio II, Ancient Rome