Related Research Articles
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, Minthe is an Underworld Naiad associated with the river Cocytus. She was beloved by Hades, the King of the Underworld, and became his mistress. But she was transformed into a mint plant by either his wife Persephone or her mother Demeter. The plant was also called by some as hedyosmos, which means "sweet-smelling".
Aspasia was a metic woman in Classical Athens. Born in Miletus, she moved to Athens and began a relationship with the statesman Pericles, with whom she had a son named Pericles the Younger. According to the traditional historical narrative, she worked as a courtesan and was tried for asebeia (impiety), though modern scholars have questioned the factual basis for either of these claims, which both derive from ancient comedy. Though Aspasia is one of the best-attested women from the Greco-Roman world, and the most important woman in the history of fifth-century Athens, almost nothing is certain about her life.
A hetaira, Latinized as hetaera, was a type of courtesan or prostitute in ancient Greece, who served as an artist, entertainer, and conversationalist in addition to providing sexual service. Custom excluded the wives and daughters of Athenian citizens from the symposium, but this prohibition did not extend to hetairai, who were often foreign born and could be highly educated. Other female entertainers made appearances in the otherwise male domain, but hetairai joined the male guests in their sexual joking, sometimes evidencing a wide knowledge of literature in their contributions.
Lais of Corinth was a famous hetaira or courtesan of ancient Greece, who was probably born in Corinth. She shared a name with the younger hetaira Lais of Hyccara; as ancient authors often confused them or did not indicate which one they referred to, the two women became inextricably linked. Lais lived during the Peloponnesian War and was said to be the most beautiful woman of her time. Among her clients were the philosopher Aristippus, Demosthenes, and the Olympic champion Eubotas of Cyrene.
Thaïs was a Greek hetaira who accompanied Alexander the Great on his military campaigns. Likely from Athens, she is most famous for having instigated the burning of Persepolis, the capital city of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, after it was conquered by Alexander's army in 330 BCE. At the time, Thaïs was the lover of Ptolemy I Soter, who was one of Alexander's close companions and generals. It has been suggested that she may also have been Alexander's lover on the basis of a statement by the Greek rhetorician Athenaeus, who writes that Alexander liked to "keep Thaïs about him" without directly classifying the nature of their relationship as intimate; this may simply have meant that he enjoyed her company, as she is said to have been very witty and entertaining. Athenaeus also states that after Alexander's death in 323 BCE, Thaïs married Ptolemy and bore three of his children.
Phryne was an ancient Greek hetaira (courtesan). Born Mnesarete, she was from Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived most of her life in Athens. Though she apparently grew up poor, she became one of the wealthiest women in Greece.
In Greek and Roman mythology, Corone is a young woman who attracted the attention of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and was saved by Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She was a princess and the daughter of Coronaeus. Her brief tale is recounted in the narrative poem Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid. Several other myths surround the crow about its connection to Athena.
Prostitution was a common aspect of ancient Greece. In the more important cities, and particularly the many ports, it employed a significant number of people and represented a notable part of economic activity. It was far from being clandestine; cities did not condemn brothels, but rather only instituted regulations on them.
Lais of Hyccara was a hetaira (courtesan) of Ancient Greece. She was probably born in Hyccara, Sicily and died in Thessaly. She was a contemporary of another courtesan with the same name, Lais of Corinth. Since ancient authors in their accounts often confused them or did not indicate which they refer to, the two have become inextricably linked.
Damaris is the name of a woman mentioned in a single verse in Acts of the Apostles as one of those present when Paul of Tarsus preached in Athens in front of the Athenian Areopagus in c. AD 55.
The harpē (ἅρπη) is a type of sword- or sickle-like weapon mentioned in Greek and Roman sources, and almost always in mythological contexts.
Achiroë, Anchirrhoë (Ἀγχιρρόη), or Anchinoë (Ἀγχινόη), which is perhaps a mistake for Anchiroë, was in Greek mythology an Egyptian naiad, as daughter of the river-god Nilus. She was the wife of King Belus of Egypt, by whom she became the mother of Aegyptus and Danaus, and, according to some accounts, Cepheus, and Phineus.
Lamia of Athens was a celebrated courtesan, and mistress of Demetrius Poliorcetes.
The gens Canidia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome, first mentioned during the late Republic. It is best known from a single individual, Publius Canidius Crassus, consul suffectus in 40 BC, and the chief general of Marcus Antonius during the Perusine War. Other Canidii are known from inscriptions. The name Canidia was also used by Horace as a sobriquet for the perfumer, Gratidia.
Gnathaena was an Athenian hetaira, a class of ancient Greek prostitutes who were companions to wealthy men. Though there is no source for either her date of birth or date of death, Gnathaena is known to have lived during the 4th century BCE due to her affiliations with various men of the era. Her most notable lover was Diphilus, an Athenian New Comedy playwright. According to Athenaeus, Gnathaena was famous for her lavish parties and witty repartee, and even wrote a treatise on proper conduct at her symposiums entitled, "Rules for Dining in Company".
Ariazate, also known as Automa, was a Parthian queen consort as the wife of the Parthian monarch Gotarzes I.
Nicopolis was a Roman hetaira possibly of Greek origin.
Bacchis was a Greek hetaira.
Aglais was an Ancient Greek musician.
Antonella Alonso, also known by her stage name LaSirena69, is a Venezuelan pornographic actress.
References
- 1 2 Konstantinos Kapparis: Prostitution in the Ancient Greek World