One of the most outstanding aspects about life in Pompeii is the sex culture. A lot of the things we regard as sexual liberation or perversion today started in ancient times. Although men were allowed to have it with whoever, with the exception of another man’s wife, women were only allowed to have sex with their husbands. Both men and women worked as prostitutes in Pompeii and were slaves required to be registered with the local authorities and to pay taxes from their earnings, because it was a legal activity. In one of the many Pompeii brothels, you’d often have semi-naked young women serving food and wine, the walls filled with graffiti and erotic paintings to show you the sex positions as well as their price. We know that also gambling was popular in Pompeii because of a series of frescoes found in several cauponae (the Roman equivalent of modern-day pubs or bars). These show ancient Pompeiians seated around special gambling tables known as “tabula lusoria”. Made of marble or stone, these were engraved with 36 symbols, and players had to roll three different dice in order to move their pieces. As well as paintings showing gaming in action, large numbers of dice were recovered. Gambling is a common theme that runs throughout the history of mankind.

Licensed Tour Guide, Skip the line entrance tickets

• This itinerary is not wheelchair accessible
• Public transportation nearby

• Day tour / activity
• Bookable 12 hour(s) in advance
• Private

New Antiquarium, Roman Forum, Plaster Casts, Public Baths, Priapus fresco painting in the house of Vettii, Phallic symbols along the road, Caupona (pub and gambling house), Red light district, House of the Golden Cupids, House of Lovers, Large Theatre.