Research On The Ancient Rome's Prostitution-from Roman Republic To Early Empire

Sex is a natural phenomenon and a cultural phenomenon.Prostitution is one of the special perspectives to explore the history of the social life in ancient Rome in the period of society transition.There was transformation and development from the end of the republic of Rome to the beginning of the empire.Under the social background,the Roman prostitution industry developed,with a large number of prostitutes and a complete prostitution system.They participated in the political,economic and cultural activities in the society.Their behaviors were contrary to the general moral system and ethical order in the patriarchal society,they were regarded as a disgrace.Their action determined their ignoble social status.But their existence was for the protection of the Roman women and the intact family and the satisfaction of the male needs,their existence had the social rationalization and necessity.In other words,the public had an ambivalent attitude towards prostitution.The government official had a tolerant and indulgent attitude.Under the circumstances,the prostitution industry displayed a prosperous situation.There was unique phenomenon in the beginning of the empire that the aristocracy were occupied in the prostitution and the noble women engaged in prostitution activities in order to pursues sexual freedom and sexual dignity.The Roman society developed the concept of prostitution into a kind of moral labeling for the sake of forcing the women to obey the ethics and order,in order to prevent the flow of social class.The existence of this special group influenced the moral values of the public and impacted the Roman society and families.The preface expounds the reasons for writing and the research on ancient Rome prostitution at domestic and foreign.Chapter1 is the background and prostitution in the ancient Rome,mainly investigating the social background of the prostitution industry,briefly introducing the situation of the prostitutes and brothels and so on.Chapter 2 is social activities of ancient Roman prostitutes,including the economic,political and cultural activities.Their social activities determined the public and government's attitudes towards the prostitution.Chapter 3 is the public cognition of the Rome towards the prostitution,ranging from their own identity,the official attitude,the public cognition to the non-mainstream cognition,which will connect prostitutes' activities in the chapter 2.Their activities and the public perception depended on their social status.Chapter 4 is the social status and influence of the prostitution.Their existence influenced the social moral concept at that time and impacted the society and families.