The oldest profession had a strong presence in ancient Greece and Rome. This article tells you everything you need to know about professional courtesans in the classical world. Although the so-called oldest profession has long been a taboo subject, and is only recently beginning to emerge into open conversation, intercourse has always been for sale in human societies. It is a hugely complex issue , with a wide range of social, personal, political and even economic repercussions.
Could looking at the carnal practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans help to open our eyes to new perspectives on the oldest profession? Read on to find outβ¦. The prevalence of the oldest profession in the ancient world is demonstrated by the rich vocabulary of the classical languages when it comes to selling love. The modern word is itself derived from the Latin term prostituere , which has multiple meanings.
The Roman language also had words for many different types of courtesans, such as meretrix, prostibula and scortum , as well as the act of employing courtesans, which was scortari. Similarly, the Greeks also had different names.
As the wide range of terminology suggests, the oldest profession was a complex system in the ancient world, with a strict hierarchy of workers who had different degrees of autonomy and respect. These women were almost always slaves and often originated from foreign lands which made them, in the eyes of the Greek, barbarians. These courtesans were largely looked down upon by their society. On the next rung of the ladder were the independent workers who voluntarily sold themselves, advertising their services on the streets before leading any eager customers back to a house or private room.
Although technically free women, they were generally members of the lowest social class. On the one hand, it could refer to a professional, while on the other, it could be leveled at any woman who was living or sleeping with a man to whom she was not married.
