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All Turkey Selçuk Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus

Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.

Selçuk, Turkey

Added By
Meredith Hutcheson
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Step right this way   Meredith P.
Step right this way   Meredith P.
The Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus   momo
The Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus   shankar s.
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
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About

What may be the world’s oldest advertisement, it’s fitting that this carving in the Marble Way of the ancient Roman city marketed the world’s oldest profession.

Dating back to the first century, the Marble Road is the distinguished road that made its way by the agora to the library, the second largest in the Roman Empire. Should the ancient scholars find themselves in need of a break, there also just happened to be a hidden brothel across the way, through an underground passage.

The brothel seems to have been hidden, but it was certainly no secret, as this advertisement shows. The carving features an image of a cross, a woman, a heart, a foot, a money purse, and a library, plus a hole dug into the rock.

One interpretation of the carvings is as follows: up at the crossroads, on the left, you’ll find women whose love can be purchased. But please, only stop in if your foot is at least this big, young men, and you have enough coins to fill this hole. Otherwise, we kindly direct you to the library on the right. At least they suggested a more enriching experience for those who were too young to enter the brothel. 

Related Tags

Roman Advertising Ancient Brothels

Know Before You Go

On the Marble Road, within sight of the Library.

Community Contributors

Added By

merhutch

Edited By

EricGrundhauser, Collector of Experiences

  • EricGrundhauser
  • Collector of Experiences

Published

March 28, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.bodrumpeninsulatravelguide.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/httpwww.travellinkturkey.comaegeanephesusimagesmap.jpg.jpg
  • http://www.ephesus.us/ephesus/marbleroad.htm
  • http://notesofnomads.com/ancient-roman-brothel-advertisement-ephesus-turkey/
  • http://forum.kusadasi.biz/threads/ephesus-brothel-advert.16701/
  • http://notesofnomads.com/ancient-roman-brothel-advertisement-ephesus-turkey/
Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus
Marble Road
Acarlar Köyü
Selçuk, 35920
Turkey
37.939397, 27.340991
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Yedi Uyurlar Mağarası (Cave of the Seven Sleepers)

Selçuk, Turkey

miles away

Basilica of St. John

Selçuk, Turkey

miles away

House of the Virgin Mary

Sultaniye Köyü, Turkey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Selçuk

Selçuk

Turkey

Places 5

Nearby Places

Yedi Uyurlar Mağarası (Cave of the Seven Sleepers)

Selçuk, Turkey

miles away

Basilica of St. John

Selçuk, Turkey

miles away

House of the Virgin Mary

Sultaniye Köyü, Turkey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Selçuk

Selçuk

Turkey

Places 5

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