Brothels, Baths and Babes
Prostitution in the Byzantine Holy Land

Claudine Dauphin[1]

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Paris

[1]This article is based on a paper given at the Dublin Classics Seminar in the Department of Classics of University College Dublin on 25 April 1995 at the invitation of its organiser, Dr A. Erskine, whom we wish to thank warmly.

[2]In particular, see the discussion in M. Lloyd, Euripides Andromache (Warminster, 1995), pp. 6 ff.

[3]P. Salmon, Population et dépopulation dans l'empire romain (Bruxelles, 1974), p. 45.

[4]In particular Canon 87 of the Council in Trullo of 692. See C.J. Héfélé and H. Leclercq, Histoire des Conciles, T. III.[1] (Paris, 1909), p. 573.

[5]Palatine Anthology (A.P.) 5.46; 5.101; 5.302 and 5.308. See also, R.C. McCail, 'The Erotic and Ascetic Poetry of Agathias Scholasticus', Byzantion 41 (1971), p. 215. We are grateful to Dr R.C. McCail of the Department of Classics, University of Edinburgh, for introducing us to Agathias' erotic poetry connected with prostitution.

[6]G. Mazor, 'City Center of Ancient Bet Shean - South', Excavations and Surveys in Israel 1987/88, Vol. 6 (1987), pp. 18 ff.; R. Bar-Nathan and G. Mazor, 'City Center (South) and Tel Iztabba Area. Excavations of the Antiquities Authority Expedition, The Bet She'an Excavation Project (1989-1991)', Excavations and Surveys in Israel, Vol. 11 (1993), pp. 43 ff.

[7]M. Piccirillo, Madaba le chiese e is mosaici (Milano, 1989), pp. 134 ff.

[8]R. Duncan-Jones, The Economy of the Roman Empire. Quantitative Studies (Cambridge, 1982, 2nd ed), p. 246.

[9]Agathias, A.P. 5.302; Alexis, fr. 103 (Athenaeus XIII 568a), Kassel-Austin ed.

[10]L.E. Stager, 'Eroticism and Infanticide at Ashkelon', Biblical Archaeology Review XVII, No. 4 (July-August 1991), pp. 50 ff.

[11]P. Smith and G. Kahila, 'Bones of a Hundred Infants Found in Ashkelon Sewer', Biblical Archaeology Review XVII, No. 4 (July-August 1991), p. 51.

[12]Thanks are due to Prof. P. Smith for informing us on 11 November 1994 of the latest results of her paleoanthropological study.

[13]Population (New York-London, 3rd ed., 1975), p. 205.

[14]We are extremely grateful to Dr M. Lloyd of the Department of Classics, University College Dublin, for discussing with us at length the various aspects of this problem and for suggesting to us this hypothesis.

[15]J.-Cl. Schmitt, 'Prostituées, Lépreux, Hérétiques: les rayures de l'infamie', L'Histoire No. 148 (Octobre 1991), p. 89.

[16]Histoire de la Sexualité. 1. La volonté de savoir (Paris, 1976) p. 11.