Classical Era
( - 388 AD)
Solon
(638 BC - 558 BC)
The first Athenian brothels were set up by Solon, the writer of the Athenian constitution. The prostitutes were heavily taxed, and this made them so valuable to the state that they were not allowed to leave the country. Solon was hailed for institutionalizing prostitution because it provided income to the state and provided a release to randy male youth, who might otherwise be tempted to pursue other men’s property, i.e. wives and daughters.
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Aspasia
(circa 5th century BC)
Aspasia was a hetaera. Unlike other ancient Greek prostitutes these women were often of the upper class, and unlike upper class wives hetaerae were educated. They were trained to be intellectually stimulating as well as sexually exciting. A hetaera had a home of her own and entertained lovers of her choosing. A hetaera had a higher status than a housewife. Hetaerae were often the subjects of paintings, sculptures, and shrines, whereas Greek wives never were.
Some hetaerae became extremely wealthy and powerful. Aspasia was a famous hetaera of the 5th century B.C. She gave lectures in her home on rhetoric and philosophy and one of her pupils was Socrates. Pericles, one of the most celebrated statesmen of ancient Greece, divorced his wife so he could bring Aspasia into his home as his permanent mistress. Pericles was completely devoted to her and she wielded much influence. The Peloponnesian Wars, that decimated the Greek population and led to their downfall, were reportedly started at her behest when two of her maidservants were stolen.
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Phryne
(circa 4th century BC)
Praxiteles' Aphrodite
(Was vandalised by Christians.)
Phryne was the most revered hetaera of the fourth century BC. Praxiteles, ancient Greece’s most noted sculptor, used Phryne as a model for a religious monument to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality (see above). At one point Phryne was brought up on charges of impiety and when her defense counsel could not convince the judges with his oratory, he tore open her clothing and exposed her wondrous bosom. In awe of her breasts, they acquitted her. Phryne charged at least $600 for her services, whereas brothel prostitutes charged roughly $12.
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Information and illustration taken from You Will Die: The Burden of Modern Taboos, Book I, Version 1 by Robert R. Arthur. Detailed documentation of sources can be found therein.
Page last modified July 27, 2007.
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