The Roman courtesan Julia da Gallese, her life and fortune. Revised 2025

Julia Tagliacozzo was born in the village of Gallese, near Rome, and became a courtesan 1544 when 15 years old. She used the name Julia da Gallese. Julia never achieved fame or notoriety, but, unlike most other courtesans, died a wealthy property owner. Her financial success was mainly due to the nobleman Giovanni Francesco Pallavicino, who closely followed her career, and insisted that she keep cash accounts. These account books survive in the archive of the Biblioteca Corsiniana, in Rome. They allow a minute reconstruction of her career and life. When Julia died in 1565, aged 36 years, in her house in Via dell'Arancio, she left half her property to the Hospital of San Giacomo degli Incurabili, because of which the Roman street Via Giulia di Gallese was named after her in 1921.