The word pornography comes to us almost directly from the Greek word πορνογράφος (pornográphos). It is composed of the Greek words πόρνη (pornē), meaning "prostitute," or πορνεία (porneía), meaning "fornication, prostitution," and the word γράφειν (graphein), meaning "to write," giving us quite literally, "writing about prostitutes." Essentially pornography is depicting in multiple media (e.g., words, pictures, sculpture, both now and in antiquity) those willing to be paid for their sexual exploits. Pornography is nothing new and was quite common in antiquity, and carried with it some of the same stigma as today. Perhaps the most famous examples of ancient pornography are the erotic frescoes at Pompeii in Italy.
Monday, February 28, 2022