By Tim Lambert
Sex Work in the Ancient World
Sex work is often called the world’s oldest profession. Exchanging services for food or other goods probably occurred in Prehistoric times. It certainly was common in the earliest civilizations in Iraq and Egypt. Sex workers were recorded in Ancient Iraq as early as 2,400 BC.
Sex workers are also mentioned in the Bible. A woman named Tamar disguises herself as a sex worker and sits by the roadside. (Genesis 38). A sex worker called Rahab helps Israeli spies when they enter the town of Jericho (Joshua 2-6). Whether or not the stories are historically true, they show that sex work was common at that time.
In Ancient Greece, sex work was legal. There were both male and female sex workers. Sex workers paid taxes, and they provided a good income for the state.
There were two sorts of sex workers in Ancient Greece. The cheap ones were called pornai. Some wore studded sandals that left the word ‘akolothi’ (follow me) in the unpaved streets. Many worked in brothels.
The expensive female sex workers were called hetairai. They were educated, upper-class women who provided conversation as well as sex. They had their independence in a very restrictive society. Female sex workers were tolerated in Ancient Greece, but males were looked down upon because they accepted a ‘passive’, womanly role.
Sex workers were also common in the Roman Empire. There were many brothels. The Romans imposed taxes on sex workers. As in Greece, sex workers varied in status from poor to wealthy. Although sex work was legal, the women were often looked down on and discriminated against.
Sex Work in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
In the Middle Ages, the Church taught that sex should only take place in marriage. However, sex workers were tolerated as a necessary evil. Augustine of Hippo 354-530 said that brothels were like sewers under a city. He did not approve of sex workers but said they helped to prevent worse evils. His views influenced people for centuries.
There were many brothels in Medieval European towns. Sex workers were tolerated, but they were stigmatised. In 1171, the Bishop of Winchester was given the power to license brothels in Southwark (then a suburb of London, south of the River Thames) and collect the money spent there. The sex workers were called Winchester Geese, but when they died, they were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. Henry VIII closed the brothels in 1546, but of course, the girls just moved elsewhere.
There is a Bread Street and a Milk Street in London, and a Pudding Lane, because of the food sold there in the Middle Ages. There is also a Stew Lane. But they didn’t sell stew there! Stew was a name for a brothel. People walked down Stew Lane to the River Thames, and watermen transported them in boats to the south bank, where there were many ‘stews’.
The religious reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) strongly condemned sex work. However, it continued. The authorities usually tolerated it. It was still regarded as a necessary evil. As usual, there was a big difference between courtesans, who were expensive and often educated, and the poor sex workers.
Sex workers often appeared in famous paintings.
Of course, there were sex workers in other cultures, including the Aztecs and Incas. Also in China, Korea, Japan, and India. There were also many sex workers in the Ottoman Empire.
Modern Sex Work
During the 19th century, sex work thrived. There were many brothels in towns and cities, but the poorest women walked the streets. For some women, it was the only way to earn a decent income. Sex workers were called ‘fallen women’, ‘Magdalenes’, or even ‘soiled doves’. As in previous eras, sex work was tolerated as a necessary evil.
In Britain, the Contagious Diseases Act was passed in 1864 to try to stop the spread of STIs among soldiers and sailors. Shockingly, in a port or garrison town, the police could arrest any woman they suspected of being a sex worker and force her to undergo an examination. The law was repealed in 1886.
In the 20th century, some countries became more intolerant. In the Netherlands, brothels were made illegal in 1911. In the USA in the early 20th century, sex work was made illegal in most states. Brothels were made illegal in Spain in 1956. They became illegal in Italy in 1958. However, in the late 20th century, Western society became more liberal and more tolerant.
In 1975, sex workers in France went on strike. They occupied churches across the country to protest against police harassment.
Today, in Britain, sex work is not illegal, but brothels (where more than one person works) are.
Of course, sex work is common in the rest of the world. There are vast numbers of sex workers in China and India. Sex workers are also common in other parts of Asia, in Africa, and in South America.
In 2026, in some countries, sex work is illegal. In others, it is legal but with restrictions. In certain countries, it’s not illegal for a woman to be paid for sex but it’s illegal for a client to pay her!
However, there is a growing movement to decriminalise sex work. In 2003, New Zealand became the first nation to decriminalise sex work. In Australia, sex work was decriminalised in the Northern Territory in 2019, Victoria in 2023, and in 2024 in Queensland. In Europe, the first country to decriminalise sex work was Belgium in 2022.
Today, many sex workers advertise on the internet. Many sex workers used. In the UK, it is estimated that there are about 100,000 sex workers. Most are female. It is not known how many sex workers there are in the USA, but it is thought to be between 1 and 2 million. There are probably between 20,000 and 25,000 sex workers in Australia.
There are, of course, different forms of sex work. It’s widely considered that the first professional striptease was performed in Paris on 13 March 1894. It was called Le Coucher d’Yvette (Yvette’s bedtime). Strip clubs became common in Western countries in the 20th century. In Britain, until 1968, strippers were not allowed to move on stage. They had to stand completely still. However, in 1968, theatre censorship was ended.
The invention of photography in the mid-19th century made adult pictures possible. At first, they were sold individually or in packages, but in the latter half of the 20th century, adult magazines became popular. Playboy Magazine was first published on 1 December 1953. The first centrefold was Marilyn Monroe. Penthouse first appeared in Britain in 1965. Mayfair was founded in 1966.
The invention of moving pictures at the end of the 19th century made adult movies possible. The earliest known film is a recording of a stage show, Le Coucher de la Mariée (Mariee’s bedtime). It was made in 1896. Because of laws against them, ‘stag movies’ had to be watched privately, often in a hired hall. In the 1950s, people often watched ‘stag movies’ at home on home film projectors.
In the 1960s, society became more liberal. In 1969, Denmark became the first country to legalise adult movies. Other countries followed in the early 1970s. In the 1970s, adult films were often shown in cinemas. In the 1980s, home video players became common. So did adult videos. In the 21st century, videos became common on the internet. Webcams made live shows possible online.
Today, Amnesty International campaigns for the decriminalisation of sex work.
The World Health Organisation also advocates the decriminalisation of sex work.
2 June is International Sex Workers’ Day.
17 December is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
Dolly’s House Museum in Ketchikan, Alaska
Last revised 2026