Modern obscenity laws evolved from ancient Roman stage rules

The word obscene actually originates from the Latin term scaena, meaning the stage. In Ancient Rome, certain acts were considered so intimate that performing them in front of an audience was thought to degrade the public soul. This theatrical restriction eventually hardened into sumptuary laws designed to police the morality of the masses. Today, this ancient logic persists in Turkey's Article 226, which can land citizens in prison for three years for sharing images of a simple kiss.