Prostitution was a common aspect of ancient Greece. It was far from being clandestine; cities did not condemn brothels , but rather only instituted regulations on them. In Athens , the legendary lawmaker Solon is credited with having created state brothels with regulated prices. Prostitution involved both sexes differently; women of all ages and young men were prostitutes, for a predominantly male clientele.
Simultaneously, extramarital relations with a free woman were severely dealt with. In the case of adultery , the cuckold had the legal right to kill the offender if caught in the act; the same went for rape. Female adulterers, and by extension prostitutes, were forbidden to marry or take part in public ceremonies. This owner could be a citizen, for this activity was considered as a source of income just like any other: one 4th-century BC orator cites two; Theophrastus in Characters lists pimp next to cook , innkeeper , and tax collector as an ordinary profession, though disreputable.
In the classical era of ancient Greece , pornai were slaves of barbarian origin; starting in the Hellenistic era the case of young girls abandoned by their citizen fathers could be enslaved. They were considered to be slaves until proven otherwise. Pornai were usually employed in brothels located in "red-light" districts of the period, such as Piraeus port of Athens or Kerameikos in Athens. The classical Athenian politician Solon is credited as being the first to institute legal public brothels.
He did this as a public health measure, in order to contain adultery. The poet Philemon praised him for this measure in the following terms:. The women stand naked that you not be deceived. Look at everything.
Maybe you are not feeling well. You have some sort of pain. The door is open. One obol. Hop in. There is no coyness, no idle talk, nor does she snatch herself away. But straight away, as you wish, in whatever way you wish. You come out. Tell her to go to hell. She is a stranger to you. As Philemon highlights, the Solonian brothels provided a service accessible to all, regardless of income.
