Most people know what a brothel is. After all, houses with courtesans have long been considered the usual norm, and the profession of the “night butterfly” is completely one of the oldest on the planet. However, the truth is that each nation had its own idea of this "obscene" institution.
Brothels of the past
So, in order to better understand what a brothel is, a short historical excursion should be made. And it begins with Ancient Greece - the world that gave rise to democracy and the first state brothels.
The Hellenes never condemned prostitutes. For them, carnal pleasures were quite natural, and the priestesses of love were no different from merchants or artisans. It should be noted that street prostitution in ancient Greece was a rarity, as the girls preferred to serve their clients in a safe and comfortable environment. In addition, around 600 BC. e. the state took under its guardianship a large part of the brothels, which later became known as the “decirions”.
No less popular were considered brothels of the Middle Ages. Despite the fact that all of Europe was immersed in blind worship of Christianity, prostitution remained an integral part of society. The clergy believed that the confused, although they are sinners, still help the flock to control lust. Moreover, many bishops owned their own “libertine houses,” which regularly paid taxes to the Papal treasury.
Wild West Brothel Bar
After Columbus discovered a new continent, many Europeans rushed there in search of a better life. Among them were unmarried women who wanted to find a rich boyfriend in the New World. However, only a few managed to implement such a plan, while the rest had to somehow survive.
And although American women knew very well what a brothel was and how difficult it was to leave it later, most of them were willing to sell their bodies there. The reason for this was stability. Indeed, in such institutions, courtesans could not only earn their bread, but also received shelter, food, and also new clothes. And the luckiest ones could even find a husband. True, this happened extremely rarely, and stories with a happy ending served only as comforting tales for naive girls.
What is a brothel of Tsarist Russia?
However, brothels existed not only in Europe or America. In Tsarist Russia, brothels were also treated quite loyally, and from the middle of the 19th century their work even began to be regulated by a set of state laws. All of them were listed in a special book entitled “Rules for the Supervision of Public Women”.
A passport was taken away from all prostitutes, and instead a yellow ticket was issued - proof that the lady was no longer among the respectable citizens. In practice, this meant that the girl would no longer be able to engage in another profession or get married, as everyone around would know about her past.
Otherwise, the law on brothels was on the side of the confused. For example, he set the schedule for the brothels, as well as the number of clients that one girl could serve per day. And most importantly, he obliged the owners of brothels to take care of their wards: pay them a salary, take them to regular medical examinations and provide them with everything they need to satisfy their clients.