Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World

by: Strong, A.K.

Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World

Author: Anise K. Strong, Western Michigan University

Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World is the first substantial account of elite Roman concubines and courtesans. Exploring the blurred line between proper matron and wicked prostitute, it illuminates the lives of sexually promiscuous women like Messalina and Clodia, as well as prostitutes with hearts of gold who saved Rome and their lovers in times of crisis. It also offers insights into the multiple functions of erotic imagery and the circumstances in which prostitutes could play prominent roles in Roman public and religious life. Tracing the evolution of social stereotypes and concepts of virtue and vice in ancient Rome, this volume reveals the range of life choices and sexual activity, beyond the traditional binary depiction of wives or prostitutes, that were available to Roman women.

Proposes a new and more nuanced understanding of the lives of Roman women, especially lower-class women
Establishes that the 'whore' stereotype rests on fear of women's disloyalty and economic independence, rather than on their sexual activity
Illuminates the lives of women from a variety of social classes in ancient Rome

Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Faithful wives and greedy prostitutes
2. Good little prostitutes
3. Powerful concubines and influential courtesans
4. Matrona as Meretrix
5. Can you know a Meretrix when you see one?
6. Prostitutes and matrons in the urban landscape
7. Pious prostitutes
8. The 'whore' label in Western culture
Conclusion. Liminal women.

Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World

by: Strong, A.K.

• ISBN-13: 9781316602645 / 978-1-316-60264-5
• ISBN-03: 1316602648 / 1-316-60264-8
• Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2016