Lupanare (Brothel) Pompeii Italy
(Taken From Official Guidebook)
Lupanare
Lupa in Latin means prostitute and this is the best organized of Pompeii’s many brothels, the only one designed specifically for this purpose: the others were simply single rooms, or part of the top floor of a shop. There are 5 rooms on the ground floor, as well as the upper floor, plus a latrine; the stone beds were covered by a mattress. Painting depicting the different positions to be used in the erotic games decorated the lupanare. The prostitutes were slaves, usually of Greek or Oriental origin. Prices ranged from 2 to 8 as (a portion of wine cost 1) but the revenues, being earned by women without legal standing, went to the owner or manager (lenone) of the brothel. The building dates from the city’s final days: in one cell, fresh plaster captured the print of a coin from 72 AD.
