McCabe was a well-known religious researcher who stumbled his way into this subject after uncovering an alarming connection between the construction of great European cathedrals and brothels. This book presents a complete historical study of prostitution from the earliest known times to the modern day. Covers what is known from the savages of pre-civilization, up into the earliest ancient civilizations, followed by the age of temple prostitutes, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Dark Ages. Also covers the Age of Cathedrals and Brothels, the Medieval period, the Renaissance, Luther and the campaign against prostitution, the nineteenth century, Eastern countries and Africa, with a closing chapter on more modern times. The author was one of the best researchers of his day, documenting information from hard-to-find sources in various languages, making this book a valuable contribution to the history of this subject.