Wealthy ancient Egyptians had plenty of leisure time and definitely knew how to enjoy themselves. On informal occasions men and women would eat together, but for formal occasions the sexes would be separated (a little detail I haven’t always stuck to in my book). At banquets both genders could, and did, drink. One wealthy woman in a tomb scene commands a servant to, “Bring me 18 goblets of wine!” **

Wow.

Of course, after eating the usual singing and dancing would take place. Men and women danced, but were typically separated. Musical instruments from the New Kingdom included oboes, lyres, flutes, and harps. Sistrums were a sort of hand rattle that kept time for the musicians, an ancient sort of metronome.

All of that was for the upper crust, but the lower classes had their entertainment in the form of local inns which stayed open all night for drinking, eating, and mingling. Young men could be catered to at brothels, something I doubt any civilization has ever been without.

**Swiped from the Legacy of Ancient Egypt by Charles Freeman