As I am from Naples, Rome and the Roman Empire was as much a foreign force as it is to many other European cities. My city was conquered by Rome, dominated by Rome, used by Rome and there is much in my city to remind us of this fact.
The rich Romans fled to the shores of Naples as have many others the years. Bacoli, Cumae and Baia are Roman seaside resorts. They are beautiful, magnificent and fairly unexplored by your average tourists. These places are all in the north of Naples. Everyone seems destined to the south of Naples and to Pompeii and Herculaneum. I am not saying these are fine places but the rich and powerful usually stayed in the north of the city.
Now, why am I telling you this in a blog that is usually associated with sex. Well, I am reading a book at the moment about Pompeii and it goes into a lot of details about brothels and prostitutes. Archaeologists seem as interested in sex as everyone and apparently there are many who have spent their lives studying brothels. They have interesting theories about brothels and the females who moved around in them.
Now, my contention is that it is so hard even nowadays to understand the workings of our own sex industry. I am part of this and yet would not even suggest I am an authority on it all. Far from it. I am often very confused.
Take for example the women who sell sex along the road near where I live. I know that during the day they seem to be women and often from countries other than Italy. I know as it gets dark these tend to leave and are replaced by men who want to be women. These tend to be more South American. Now I don't know if they are independent workers or whether they are controlled by a pimp or an organisation. I have no idea if they know each other. They do seem to signal each other when police are around etc. However, I don't know if this is just being good natured. Something like flashing your car headlights to oncoming traffic to indicate something ahead.
I have no idea if the night shift know the day shift. I also have little idea what they charge and where actually they go to do the business. It is cold at the moment here in Rome and they are still out on the streets, so where and how? People who visit me have the comforts of home but some are still known to moan it is cold or too hot. So how do people do it outside?
I do know two women who park off the road on the way to Trigoria who have a camper van. This is a great idea and just shows you new ways to enjoy life. I can just imagine the conversation of a visitor to this establishment when he gets home.
'Hello, darling you are late.'
'Yes, been looking over a camper van.'
'What, for next summer?'
'Yes.'
'You are such a wonderful man. Take me with you next time as I love looking inside camper vans too!'
But the point I am making is that sex happens and sex for money in particular, in the most unlikely of places. And brothels both nowadays and probably in the past too, are not so common. I mean if it was an advertised place for sex what family man, married man, business man etc etc would like to be seen visiting the place. Most places where sex takes place have other things to sell and this commonly acts as a cover for what most visitors are after.
Historians have suggested that there were many, many brothels in Pompeii. I would suggest they need to visit me and I would put them straight. This is a male fantasy and a wrong one. It is interesting that a female historian, Mary Beard, has put them straight, when she writes in her book 'Pompeii'.
'The search for the Pompeian brothel is, in other words, a category mistake. Sex for money, was almost as diffused through the town as eating, drinking or sleeping.'
Sex happens everywhere. You do not need a specialised house. Infact most people hate the idea of such a place. If there are any historians out there who need to have a dialogue with the past then talk to the present first. I am very happy to chat and do a few other things too!!!!!
dariax@hotmail.co.uk
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