Historical story

10 proofs that we live in prudish times

Do you think contemporary culture is soaked with sex? You are offended by the pointless shanks in the ads for screwdrivers and putty? Would you like to live in a time when erotica was not crammed into everywhere? We are sorry. There have never been times like this.

As always, all items in our TOP10 are based on articles published by "Curiosities of History". This time - those devoted to sex and eroticism.

We live in prudish times because…

10.

Prostitution was one of the most respected professions in ancient Egypt. Selling your body was a popular adulthood practice. Temple prostitution related to the cult of Isis and Amun (read more on this) also flourished.

9.

The penis was of great symbolic importance in ancient Rome. Young citizens wore medallions depicting an erect penis on their necks . His great nature helped in his spiritual career. It also allowed him to advance faster in the military hierarchy . According to some scientists, even the famous Roman Forum was shaped like a giant penis (read more about it).

8.

The fight against zoophilia was one of the greatest challenges of the medieval church. Intercourse with animals was even punished by castration, burning or burying them alive . Even so, in rural communities, zoophilia was common . It even affected tens of percent of the population (read more about this).

7.

In ancient Egypt, erotic magic was enormously popular. The Egyptians believed that anything could be achieved with lewd and vulgar spells . Seduce a woman, make a man impotent and force your partner to play bolder erotic games (read more on this topic).

6.

Fidel Castro used to come to Warsaw to find prostitutes. He reportedly had "a tremendous need for intimate contacts" . He used only the best escort ladies working at the European restaurant . Before his arrival, prostitutes were meticulously examined and instructed (read more on this).

5.

The Roman Empire was led by deviants. Emperor Tiberius liked to play in the bath with the little boys. On the island of Capri he ran his private brothel for children. Caligula founded a tryst house where the wives and daughters of Roman senators served clients (read more on this).

4.

During World War I, armies built brothels on wheels. Tens of thousands of prostitutes were trailing behind the wards . 20-25% of the soldiers contracted venereal diseases at the front . Many have deliberately had sex with infected prostitutes just to be sent back (read more on that).

3.

In pre-war Poland, pedophilia was a big problem. Superstitious criminals believed that intercourse with a small child was the most effective cure for venereal diseases. Police and prosecutors did not publicize rape cases. They did not want to disturb the image of a conservative and moral Poland (read more about it).

2.

Erotic accessories were already in common use in the Middle Ages. They were used so often that the problem was taken up by church moralists . In the 10th century, Burchard of Worms recommended masturbation with an artificial member with a year of penance (read more on this topic) .

1.

Ancient Spartans traded wives. According to Plato, there was a rule in Sparta that "the best men should mate with the best women as often as possible" . Old warriors often lent their young colleagues' wives . Often, three or four young men shared one wife . Nobody asked the women themselves (read more on this).