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Sat, April 5 2025 7 Nisan 5785

Wednesday, May 25, 2022 • 24 Iyyar 5782

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sacred Prostitution and the Cult of Aphrodite/Venus in Roman Corinth
with Barbette Spaeth, William and Mary
 
According to the first century geographer Strabo, "The Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Corinth was so rich that it possessed more than a thousand sacred slaves, prostitutes, whom both men and women dedicated to the goddess."
 
Many have understood this passage to refer to "sacred prostitution," that is, the practice of payment for sexual acts conducted in a cultic context.  The passage has thus been used to elucidate Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 6), where the apostle rails against the early Christians of the city for having congress with prostitutes. 
 
What evidence do we have for cult of Aphrodite, or Venus in Roman terms, in the city and its ties to sacred prostitution?  This talk will examine the literary and archaeological evidence for the cult of this goddess in Roman Corinth and consider the premise that this ritual practice occurred in her sanctuaries.
 
How to Access the BAF/BASONOVA Zoom Lecture Series
Please access the BASONOVA PayPal portal and use a credit card to reserve your Zoom spot for this event ($7): http://www.basonova.org/ next-lecture-reservation.html
 
Questions: info@basonova.org.  Zoom links will be sent Monday, May 23.

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