Sacred prostitution in ancient Greece

Sacred prostitution, also known as temple or cult prostitution, involved various activities in ancient times, many of which that occurred in Greece were in some way related to the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Greek city of Corinth. The reason for the fascination with prostitution in general was because in ancient times, women’s bodies were viewed as more sexually desirable than men’s because of their potential fertility, and sexuality and fertility were celebrated for these aspects of them.^[1] In terms of their bodily functions and their purpose, women’s bodies were more valued than men’s because of their potential fertility, and therefore were viewed as more sexually desirable than men’s. This led to an interest in prostitution, and sacred prostitution was a form of prostitution in which people dedicated either themselves or their children to their deity as a form of religious worship.