The brothel and public latrine of ancient Ephesus are located directly across Marble Street from the Library of Celsus. Both date from the 1st century AD. Of course neither of these are a sacred site, but these less glamorous structures help bring ancient Ephesus to life.
Brothel
The brothel originally had two floors, with ground floor entrances on both Marble Street and on Curetes Street. On the latter, an etched footprint in the marble famously shows the way.
The rooms of the ground floor, one of which has a stone bed, were built around a small atrium. The floor of the main reception room was covered with a mosaic of the four seasons. The personified figures of Winter (with head covered) and Autumn (with a garland of flowers) are still well preserved. The cubicles used by the prostitutes to entertain their clients were on the upper floor.
The ithyphallic figurine of Priapus – Bes, now in the Ephesus Museum, was found in a well on the side of the brothel near Curetes Street. The well is still in use. Of Egyptian origin, Bes was not the god of the brothel, but the protector of everything associated with motherhood and childbearing.
Latrine
The 1st-century Roman Latrine of Ephesus was rather advanced and civilized for its time. It was constructed over a channel with an uninterrupted flow of water and the toilet seats, formed by cutting holes into marble benches that line the walls, were covered by a roof.
The rest of the large room was open to the sky, and had an impluvium (a sunken pool for catching rainwater) in the center. The floor was covered with mosaics.
The Latrines are interesting a communal and social activity, complete with running water for both moving waste along. Latrines used by both women and men.
Ancient brothel in Ephesus. There is an underground tunnel here that goes across the street leading to the library.
Amazing Latrine. Now I know how they used to share their morning news. Wonderful use of running water. Guess they didn't wear undies. Public toilets were just as the name implied.
Real insight into everday life and imagining all those gents sitting there chatting and, we're told, listening to a string quartet!! There was no mention of the ladies, so not sure if it was mixed?? Quite impressive.
A fascinating glimpse into ancient Roman fellowship around a shared endeavour!
The place that brought a smile on everyone's face. Surely the roman's celebrated their call of nature.
Musicians played while the facilities were used. Interesting flushing system and water canal for personal sanitation.
Imagine being able to visit an ancient public latrine that looks as thhough it couldd still be used. Ephesus has it there
One could almost visualise Roman men sitting cheek to cheek doing their business. The constantly running water beneath an ingenious flushing mechanism.
Interesting facts:
– They were for men only. Where did the women go?
– Slaves were often sent ahead to warm the marble seat for their master.
very freeing and outside, without concerns about the other person, men,woman, children, very free in some ways
Our guide told us that the wealthy men who used the latrine would have a slave warm up the marble seat for them before they used it. They used the latrine as a social gathering place. Freaky!
We did almost every tour of Ephesus and this is one of the clever historical ones. That and the prostitution sign on the pavement.. We all sat and relaxed and had a good laugh on these thrones:)