Tucked inside Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, you’ll find a collection that, for almost two centuries, most people couldn’t even glimpse. The Secret Cabinet (Gabinetto Segreto) holds ancient erotic art uncovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum. This once-forbidden trove cracks open Roman attitudes about sexuality—through paintings, sculptures, and even everyday items that once seemed too scandalous for public eyes.
When I visited, I couldn’t help but notice how these artifacts reveal the blunt way ancient Romans handled eroticism in daily life. You see everything from mythological scenes to household objects covered in sexual imagery.
What’s wild is that Romans didn’t really hide this stuff. They put it right out in the open—in homes, bathhouses, even public spaces.
These days, the Secret Cabinet welcomes visitors from 9 am to 7 pm. There are still some restrictions for minors, but it’s mostly open. As you wander through this small but eye-opening gallery, you start to see not only ancient Roman culture, but also how our own ideas about sexuality have shifted over time.
The collection really flips our assumptions about the past. It makes you wonder if taboos say more about us than about the art itself.
Secrets of the Gabinetto Segreto: Unveiling Ancient Rome’s Erotic Art
The Gabinetto Segreto in Naples displays erotic artifacts recovered from Pompeii and Herculaneum. These pieces give you a direct look at how sexuality played into daily Roman life.
Origins of the Gabinetto Segreto
In the 18th century, excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum started turning up sexually explicit art. Officials separated these “obscene” finds from the main collection, creating the Secretum—later called Gabinetto Segreto.
For almost 200 years, hardly anyone could see these works. Only wealthy men, academics, or aristocrats with special permission got in. Even the Marquis de Sade visited, apparently finding inspiration for his own notorious writings.
Other cities followed suit. The British Museum in London and institutions in Paris set up their own secret rooms for erotic antiquities. These hidden collections really show how tangled society’s relationship with sexuality and history has always been.
The Fascination and Taboo of Forbidden Art
People couldn’t stop talking about the Gabinetto Segreto, mostly because they couldn’t see it. The secrecy gave it a legendary status among art lovers and historians.
I’ve watched visitors today—some are just curious, others look a bit uncomfortable with the explicit objects on display. Wall paintings showing sexual acts, phallic wind chimes, and bold sculptures all point to how Romans just wove sexuality into everyday life.
The public finally got access in the 1960s. That change mirrored shifting attitudes about sexuality and how we treat history.
Now, the Secret Cabinet invites all adults in, offering valuable insights into Roman culture—without the heavy moralizing that came later.
Masterpieces of Erotic Art: Frescoes, Statues, and Beyond
Digging at Pompeii and Herculaneum turned up a wild variety of erotic art. These artifacts range from colorful wall paintings to household objects, all celebrating human sexuality in ways that feel surprisingly open.
Erotic Frescoes of Pompeii and Herculaneum
On my first trip to the ruins of Pompeii, the vivid frescoes immediately grabbed me. Many of them show intimate scenes that still make modern visitors blush.
When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, volcanic ash preserved these paintings almost by accident. Some of the most famous examples come from the brothels—scholars think the frescoes might have acted as a visual menu of services.
In private homes, especially bedrooms, wealthy Romans put up erotic scenes that ranged from myth and legend to everyday encounters. The Casa del Centenario stands out, with its detailed depictions that show not just sexuality but social hierarchies and gender roles.
Statues, Reliefs, and Wall Paintings
Romans didn’t stop at wall art. They filled their homes with small bronze figurines and larger marble statues with explicit themes.
In the Villa of the Mysteries, wall paintings show ritual scenes with a touch of eroticism. I found these especially intriguing—they mix religious symbolism and sensuality in ways that blur our modern lines.
Even everyday items like oil lamps and drinking cups featured erotic reliefs. People used them at parties or dinners, not hiding them away. That openness about sexual imagery feels very different from what we’re used to now.
The Secret Cabinet in Naples now holds many of the most explicit examples, pieces that curators once kept out of the main museum.
Iconic Symbols: Priapus and Phalluses
Walking Pompeii’s streets, you can’t miss the phallic carvings in walls, sidewalks, and buildings. They weren’t just for decoration.
Priapus, the god of fertility, appears everywhere with his exaggerated phallus. The famous fresco in the House of the Vettii shows Priapus weighing his member against a bag of coins—a symbol of prosperity.
Romans carved phalluses above bakeries and at street corners, even using them as signs. They saw these as protective, not obscene, and believed they’d bring luck to homes and businesses.
The British Museum holds some portable phallic amulets; Romans used to carry or wear them for protection. These symbols weren’t just about sex—they had real social and religious meaning.
Erotica and Daily Life: Sexuality in Ancient Roman Cities
Romans wove erotic imagery into almost every aspect of daily life. Sexual themes showed up in both sacred and everyday settings, reflecting societal values that just don’t match modern attitudes.
Brothels and Prostitution
Pompeii’s busy streets were home to lots of brothels, the most famous being the Lupanare. I found it fascinating that this two-story building had small rooms with stone beds and explicit frescoes above each doorway. The paintings basically advertised the services on offer.
Prostitution was legal and regulated. Sex workers paid taxes and wore distinctive clothing to set themselves apart. Many were slaves or foreigners with few other options.
Graffiti covers the brothel walls—some of it praising certain workers, some complaining about prices. These scribbles give us rare, honest voices from ancient Romans.
The Roles of Slavery and Power
In Roman society, slave owners claimed sexual access as a right. Masters controlled the bodies of those they owned, regardless of gender.
Slave markets even advertised the sexual qualities of people for sale. It’s a harsh reminder of how power shaped Roman sexuality.
Status and sexuality went hand in hand. Elite men were supposed to be the active partner in sex; being passive was only acceptable for women, slaves, or young men.
Religious festivals—like those for Bacchus—sometimes included sexual rituals. These events briefly turned social hierarchies upside down.
Erotic Scenes in Public and Private Spaces
As I walked through reconstructions of Roman homes, I noticed erotic art everywhere. Wealthy families put up explicit images in dining rooms and gardens, right where guests would see them.
These scenes weren’t hidden. Phallic symbols showed up as amulets and charms, often meant to bring fertility or luck.
Public baths featured erotic decorations out in the open. Casual nudity in these spaces shows just how differently Romans thought about the body.
In farming communities, fertility symbols mattered even more. Festivals used sexual imagery to encourage good harvests and healthy families. The line between religious ritual and erotic art was often blurry.
Society and Morality: Roman Law, Sexual Taboos, and Identities
Romans had complicated views on sexuality, and their laws and customs often seem strange to us now. They judged sexual behavior not just by the act, but by who was involved.
Roman Law and Sexual Boundaries
Roman law looked at sexuality through status and power, not just gender. Citizens’ bodies—especially freeborn men and women—were protected by law. The Lex Scantinia banned sexual misconduct with male citizens, and other laws protected female virtue.
Instead of focusing on the act itself, Roman laws mostly tried to keep social order and protect family honor. A citizen man could sleep with slaves or prostitutes without legal trouble, but crossing certain lines—like violating another citizen—brought harsh punishment.
The legal system put dignity and status first. Owning slaves included sexual rights, which shows how much status shaped Roman sexual morality.
Adultery, Rape, and Sexual Immorality
Under Augustus, adultery became a public crime with the Lex Julia de Adulteriis. The law targeted women who had affairs and their lovers. Men, though, only counted as adulterers if they slept with married women—not if they visited prostitutes.
Romans saw rape mostly as a crime against the victim’s father or husband, not the person themselves. The focus was on damaged honor, not consent.
Sexual immorality (stuprum) covered a range of behaviors—adultery, and sex with respectable unmarried women, for example. Punishments could include exile or loss of property, sometimes even death.
Women had to protect their virginity before marriage and be faithful after. Men had fewer restrictions but were supposed to show moderation.
Masculinity, Sexual Orientation, and the Passive-Active Roles
Roman sexuality cared more about who was active and who was passive than about gender. The big line was between the penetrator and the penetrated. Adult male citizens were expected to play the active part.
If an adult male citizen took the passive role, it was seen as shameful. But it was fine for a man to desire both women and boys, as long as he stayed on the active side.
For Romans, masculinity meant sexual dominance. A real man (vir) proved himself through self-control and military skill. If his sexual behavior didn’t fit this, it could ruin his reputation and even his political career.
That’s probably why so much erotic art shows men in dominant positions—it reinforced their ideas about gender and power.
Religious Beliefs and the Influence of Evil Spirits
Romans tied some sexual behaviors to religious rituals and fertility cults. Priapus, often shown with an oversized phallus, was thought to protect against evil and bring luck.
Phallic amulets and explicit images weren’t just for fun—they were used to scare off evil spirits. That’s why you see them in homes and public places.
Religious festivals sometimes featured sexual themes and loosened the usual moral rules. The Bacchanalia and certain mystery cults included sexual elements that made the authorities nervous.
As Christianity spread, Roman attitudes changed sharply. Early Christian writers like Paul condemned homosexual acts and sexual freedom, pushing Roman morality toward more restriction and a focus on procreation.
Rediscovery, Interpretation, and Global Legacy
The journey of Roman erotic art—from volcanic ash to museum display—has been anything but simple. Their discovery rattled society and still sparks debates about art, sexuality, and censorship.
Rediscovery in Pompeii and Herculaneum
When archaeologists started digging at Pompeii in the 1700s, they were stunned. Homes and businesses had frescoes showing explicit sexual scenes. Phallic symbols, which Romans saw as good luck, popped up everywhere.
King Charles III of Naples reportedly got so shocked by these finds that in 1819 he ordered them locked away. That’s how the “Secret Cabinet” started—only wealthy men of “mature age and respected morals” could get in.
For generations, women, regular folks, and even many scholars couldn’t see these pieces of Roman history. The collection makes it clear how differently Romans viewed sexuality compared to later Christian Europe.
How the Secret Cabinet Influenced Art and Thought
Despite all the secrecy, the Secret Cabinet left a mark on European thought. Artists and intellectuals who managed to get in spread stories about what they saw.
I’ve followed the trail of how these artifacts influenced everything from Renaissance art to Freud’s theories. Freud even owned reproductions of Pompeii artifacts and used Roman sexual attitudes in his work.
Ironically, hiding these pieces only made them more mysterious and influential. Victorian ideas about sexuality and “proper” behavior were shaped partly in reaction to these hidden treasures.
Unlike the Kama Sutra, which stayed spiritual in its original culture, Roman erotic art got labeled obscene by Christian Europe.
From Ancient Erotica to Modern Museums
Now, you can visit the Secret Cabinet at the Naples museum without any special permission. After years of activism and changing views, it finally opened to the public in 2000.
Curators now put these artifacts in their proper historical context. The phallus wasn’t obscene to Romans—it was a symbol of protection, kind of like a horseshoe to later Europeans.
Museums everywhere now show similar artifacts with explanations, not judgment. Thanks to digital tech, anyone can explore these collections online, not just elites.
The path from buried ruins to secret cabinets to public display says a lot about how we keep rethinking history, sexuality, and censorship. These artifacts remind us that what’s considered “appropriate” changes more than we might think.
