Studied by 3 peopleWhat was prostitution like in Athens ? (Athens)
it was legal and very common
some brothels were run by the goverment
there was no shame in going to or owning a brothel
Did prostitution count as adultery ? (Athens)
No some married men had long term relationships with prostitutes
How were prostitutes seen by society ?
they experienced shame and stigma
seen as greedy immoral women who often stole from clients
on vases they often had saggy boobs and in comedy they were seen as greedy young women trying to get money before they got old and fat
What is a benefit of being a sex worker ? (Athens)
Not under the control of a kyrios so you have more freedom
you can run a business and buy and sell + land
What was a pornai ?
A low class prostitute - they were the majority and mostly all slaves
Who couldn’t become pornai ?
Greek citizens couldn’t be one they were all slaves or forigners
Where did pornai work ? (Athens)
mostly worked in brothels but some worked on the streets
What were hetairai ? (Athens)
High class prostitutes who offered sex and other talents to clients
Who were hetairai ? (Athens)
Usually free women mostly metics but very few were athenians
What sort of things were hetairai meant to be able to do ? (Athens)
sing
dance
recite poetry
play a musical instrument
have witty conversations with men about politics and philosophy
Who trained hetairai ? (Athens)
Younger hetairai were trained by older ones
What could they do different to a Kyria ? (Athens)
attended lectures
can go places
mixed with the elite of society
talked to men in an educated way
had no kyrios
How can you spot a hetairai ? (Athens)
at a symposium
surrounded by men on couches
dancing or playing an instrument
some naked or wearing a transparent dress
Why do we know about Neaira ? (Athens)
from a speech in a law case by the Demosthenes in 4th c BC
Where was Neaira born ? (Athens)
Corinth
Who was Neaira sold to as a child ? And what did she do for her ? (Athens)
Sold to a female brothel keeper - Nicarete
And was trained to be a hetairai and started working pre-puberty
Became a famous hetairai so nicarete could charge even more
Who bought Neairai from Nicarete ? (Athens)
Timanoridas and Eulerates for quite and expensive price
How did Timanordias and Eulerates use Neairai ?(Athens)
She worked as a hetairai at symposia but at home was used as a porne
How much do her 2 owners want when they sell her ? (Athens)
20 minae so she has gone down in price
Who does she go with next ?And how does he treat her ? (Athens)
Phrynion she either ran away with him or was bought by him , he made her work and treated her violently
Where did Neairai run away to ?And who with ? (Athens)
Megra with her possessions and 2 maids
Who did Neairai meet whilst working as a hetairai? And where did she move with him ? (Athens)
She meets Stephanos and he asks her to move to Athens with her to pretend to be his fake wife
How did Stephanos use Neairai ? (Athens)
He forced her to be a porne and pretended to catch men with her to blackmail them
What is the trial by Theomnestus about ? (Athens)
Neairai pretending to be an athenian citizen
How is Neairai attacked in the trial ? (Athens)
attacked her for being a hetaira and her morals
made her into a villian
she had given her daughter to an athenian which is illegal as they are not athenian
What is Neairai’s daughters name ? (Athens)
Phano
Where was Aspasia born ? And where did she live mostly ? (Athens)
She was born in turkey but lived her life as a metic in athens
Why was Aspasia well known ? (Athens)
she was a brothel owner and a hetaira well known for her wit and intelligence
Described with blonde hair big eyes fair skin and lovely ANKLES
Who was her most well know client ?(Athens)
Pericles the leader of Athens and moved in with him after his wife died
How did Aspasia influence Pericles ? (Athens)
Influenced his politics and wrote some of his most famous speeches
What is the source for Aspasia ? (Athens)
Plutarch life of Pericles
How was prostitution seen ? ( Rome )
it was legal and commonly used there was no shame for the man unless he spent excessive time and money
Who could be a prostitute ? ( Rome )
Citizens, ex-slaves and slaves but for upper class people it was illegal
What were prostitutes considered to be ?( Rome )
Infamis
What did being infamis mean ? ( Rome )
lost legal rights of a free person forvever
can be beaten
can’t marry a senator or a senators child
can’t work in the government
What was the name for a prostitute ? ( Rome )
Meretrix
What did prostitutes wear ? ( Rome )
A toga visibly different and not normal as a sing of what they were
a sign of shame and to single them out
What festivals can prostitutes take part in ? ( Rome )
Veneralia
prostitutes and matronae dressed a statue of the god of mens luck
1st april
Vinalia
prostitutes give offerings to venus
23rd april
Floralia
erotic dancing and stripping by prostitues
27th april
What month were all the festivals that meretrix could take part in ? ( Rome )
April
Why do we know about prostitutes ? ( Rome )
Male poets writing about them
Where was the lupanar located ? And what did they look like ?( Rome )
mostly in worst areas and poor conditions
each girl had a cubicle with her name and price written on a tablet
Each cubicle had a lamp and a basic couch / bed with a blanket
What were leno/lena considered ? ( Rome )
Infamis, it was a very shameful job
they were very popular characters in comedy plays shown as greedy and stupid only there to exploit people
What were rich meretrices life’s like ? ( Rome )
some educated
often taken to dinner parties but not for entertainment but for witty and intelligent conversation
most worked from home
had long contracts with clients
What was Cytheris’ full name ? ( Rome )
Volumnia Cyytheris
Who was Cytheris’ owner ? ( Rome )
Volumnius Eutrapelus
Why was cytheris famous ? ( Rome )
She had many celebrity lovers
What did cytheris do at age 12 and age 15 ? ( Rome )
At age 12 she was a mime
At age 15 she took part in the Floralia festival
Why was she later freed by Volumnis ? ( Rome )
She would earn more money as a free prostitute
What famous politician did cytheris have a long relationship with ? ( Rome )
Mark antony who kept her as an exclusive mistress, he took her everywhere and called her by her real name which was scandalous
Who stopped Mark anthony and cythoris’ relationship ? ( Rome )
Julius caeser
Which poets wrote about cythoris ? ( Rome )
Ovid
Virgil
What did Gallus call cytheris ? ( Rome )
Lycoris
Where does Clodia come from ? ( Rome )
One of the oldest richest most noble families in Rome
The claudii
Why did Clodia and her brother change their names ? ( Rome )
So their names sounded like they weren’t posh
How educated was clodia ? ( Rome )
Very well educated - spoke greek and latin
Talented in poetry
Involved in politics via her brother/husband
Who does Clodia marry ? And why ? ( Rome )
Her cousin Quintus Caecilius metellus Celer and had a daughter with him s
to keep the money in the family
How was Clodia’s marriage ? ( Rome )
It was very unhappy they argued in public and she often had affairs with slaves
How did Metellus die? How did Clodia feel? ( Rome )
He died under mysterious circumstances many believed clodia poisoned him
Clodia did not care about his death
What did Clodia spend her time doing after Metellus’ death ? ( Rome )
spent lots on gambling and drinking
Hung out with other young and rich romans
had many love affairs most were married men
Who was the poet that was a lover of Clodia ? And what did he call her in his poems ? ( Rome )
Catullus who called her Lesbia as to protect both of them
Who was the politician that Clodia accused of trying to poison her ? And who defended him in court ? ( Rome )
Marcus Caelius Rufus who was defended by cicero
How did Cicero destroy Clodia ? ( Rome )
Aimed to destroy her character so no-one would believe her
Talks about her parties, inappropriate clothes, unrestrained speech and public affection
Suggests incest with her brother and that she killed her husband
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