In this brief review of the literature and research leading up to the topic at hand many scholars take different views. Some just examine before the Christian Church and what the economy and lifestyle was like for a prostitute. Others look at the influence of the Christian Church on philosophical mindset change. Each is a critical note to understanding how prostitution changed with the installation of the Christian Church.
In ancient Rome, the society started as practicing paganism. In fact, many of the Christian celebrations today were actually at one point pagan. In Rodoifo Lanciani book Pagan and Christian Rome, he explains the slow transition from Paganism to Christianity and how it took 300 years of fighting to fully gain acceptance …show more content…
Before the installation of the Christian Church the prostitutes led a hard life. As Rebecca Flemming, Thomas McGinn, Sarah B. Pomeroy and Robert Knapp all cover prostitutes brought into the trade through several venues. The first and most popular being slavery. Sarah B. Pomeroy discusses how women were sold into slavery, but that prostitution would not be their main occupation. In fact, these women would often be maids to the mistress of the house. These women slaves made quite a bit of extra money for their master’s house if the head of the household chose to make them prostitutes. Conversely, Robert Knapp depicts the prostitute as poor and exploited by their masters. He examines situations where a slave was bought specifically for prostitution and maximum profits instead of a household object. Although this may be true, Rebecca Flemming states that while slavery was a popular method for a woman to become a prostitute mothers and fathers were not afraid of putting their daughters into the craft. She argues that both slaves and daughters had legality held over them by an owner or a parent in which they had no choice in their own positions. McGinn agrees that family members would sell their own children into prostitution, but it became illegal during the classical period …show more content…
Bullough. Rebecca Flemming states that pagans would sell their own family members into prostitution illuminating the fact that this act was not shameful, but just a way of life. In contrast, Vern L. Bullough argues that the Christian Church embraced a new view of bodily pleasures than had ever appeared before. Instead of openness to sex it saw sex as a problem that it needed to control. The people did not understand this new thought process, but St. Augustine pushed it further. Mr. Bullough debates where these ideals came from and lands on one person of interest, St. Augustine. Augustine’s work explains that the reason why men and women seek for bodily pleasures only started with Adam and Even after the Garden of Eden. Prior to their fall from grace they could control their genitals and therefore their will. Only after Eve took the apple from the tree did the two begin to lust and have sexual intercourse. While Bullough explains that Augustine did think that bodily pleasures were a sin, he also viewed prostitution as a necessary evil, as discussed in McGinn’s book. From this Suzanne Dixon delves into the idea of men fearing female sexuality. As with Vern L. Bullough, Suzanne states that sexuality was looked down on, but she takes it a step further, saying that men’s sexuality was not feared just
In ancient Rome, the society started as practicing paganism. In fact, many of the Christian celebrations today were actually at one point pagan. In Rodoifo Lanciani book Pagan and Christian Rome, he explains the slow transition from Paganism to Christianity and how it took 300 years of fighting to fully gain acceptance …show more content…
Before the installation of the Christian Church the prostitutes led a hard life. As Rebecca Flemming, Thomas McGinn, Sarah B. Pomeroy and Robert Knapp all cover prostitutes brought into the trade through several venues. The first and most popular being slavery. Sarah B. Pomeroy discusses how women were sold into slavery, but that prostitution would not be their main occupation. In fact, these women would often be maids to the mistress of the house. These women slaves made quite a bit of extra money for their master’s house if the head of the household chose to make them prostitutes. Conversely, Robert Knapp depicts the prostitute as poor and exploited by their masters. He examines situations where a slave was bought specifically for prostitution and maximum profits instead of a household object. Although this may be true, Rebecca Flemming states that while slavery was a popular method for a woman to become a prostitute mothers and fathers were not afraid of putting their daughters into the craft. She argues that both slaves and daughters had legality held over them by an owner or a parent in which they had no choice in their own positions. McGinn agrees that family members would sell their own children into prostitution, but it became illegal during the classical period …show more content…
Bullough. Rebecca Flemming states that pagans would sell their own family members into prostitution illuminating the fact that this act was not shameful, but just a way of life. In contrast, Vern L. Bullough argues that the Christian Church embraced a new view of bodily pleasures than had ever appeared before. Instead of openness to sex it saw sex as a problem that it needed to control. The people did not understand this new thought process, but St. Augustine pushed it further. Mr. Bullough debates where these ideals came from and lands on one person of interest, St. Augustine. Augustine’s work explains that the reason why men and women seek for bodily pleasures only started with Adam and Even after the Garden of Eden. Prior to their fall from grace they could control their genitals and therefore their will. Only after Eve took the apple from the tree did the two begin to lust and have sexual intercourse. While Bullough explains that Augustine did think that bodily pleasures were a sin, he also viewed prostitution as a necessary evil, as discussed in McGinn’s book. From this Suzanne Dixon delves into the idea of men fearing female sexuality. As with Vern L. Bullough, Suzanne states that sexuality was looked down on, but she takes it a step further, saying that men’s sexuality was not feared just