The Ancients20 Aug 2023

Sex Work in Pompeii

This episode contains some strong language references to sexual content.

Pompeii is shrouded in myths and legends about it's vibrant, after hours, night life. With theories of carved stone penis' pointing towards brothels, frescoes of graphic images, and bawdy graffiti immortalising individual's experiences - there's a lot to unpack when it comes to Sex in Pompeii. But what can we decipher from the archaeology about the lives of sex workers in Pompeii - and are their experiences universal, even today?

In the third episode of our special series on Pompeii, we're delving into the Brothels of Pompeii with Sex Historian, and host of Betwixt the Sheets, Dr Kate Lister. Looking at the shared experiences between sex workers and gladiators, secret Museums filled with sordid artefacts, and the images that decorate Pompeii's Lupanar - what do we know about Sex in Pompeii? And if you follow the Penis' - where do they actually take you?

The series was written and produced by Elena Guthrie

The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe

It was edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code ANCIENTS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

For more Ancient's content, subscribe to our Ancient's newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(621)

The Real Armageddon

Armageddon is more than just a biblical prophecy hailing the end of days. It is a real place: Megiddo, an ancient city that for thousands of years stood at the crossroads of empires, trade routes and ...

10 Mai 58min

Ancient China: The Warring States

How did ancient China plunge into 261 years of chaos, and how did that turmoil forge an empire?Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Andrew Seth Meyer to explore the Warring States period, from collap...

7 Mai 59min

The Prehistoric Plague

The first ever outbreak of 'plague' - Yersinia Pestis, the most feared disease in human history - was long thought to be the Plague of Justinian in 541 AD. But new studies of ancient DNA have revealed...

3 Mai 48min

The Persian Gulf

Near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital commercial chokepoints, lies an ancient trade route that powered civilisation 4,000 years ago: the Persian Gulf - where goods and ideas flowed ...

30 Apr 58min

The Last Days of Pompeii

In 79 AD, life in Pompeii unfolded beneath the shadow of a tremoring Mount Vesuvius. Streets bustled, businesses thrived, and merchants built fortunes, unaware disaster was hours away. But what happen...

26 Apr 1h 6min

The First Tools

What if the first technology was just a stone?Tristan Hughes and Dr. Emma Finestone, - Curator and the Robert J. and Linnet E. Fritz Endowed Chair of Humans Origins at Cleveland Museum of Natural Hist...

23 Apr 46min

Athens vs Persia: The Legend of Themistocles

A legend of the great Greek city of Athens, Themistocles rose from obscurity to save ancient Greece and helped shape one of the greatest naval powers in history. Yet his story ends in exile, condemned...

19 Apr 54min

The Hittites

What made the Hittites one of the great Bronze Age powers, and how did their empire survive on war, diplomacy and faith? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Elena Devecchi to uncover ancient royal i...

16 Apr 58min