Aspasia

Aspasia was a famous hetairai of ancient Greece. In ancient Greek society, hetairai were independent and sometimes influential women who were required to wear distinctive dresses and had to pay taxes. Mostly ex-slaves from other cities, these courtesans were renowned for their achievements in dance and music, as well as for their physical and intellectual talents. Unlike most other women in Greek society at the time, hetaerae were educated. Τhey were also the only women who actively took part in the symposia, where their opinion was welcomed and respected by men. Hetairai should not be confused with pornai of the time, who sold sex by the act and worked on the streets or out of brothels. They were the only class of women in ancient Greece with access to and independent control over considerable amounts of money.

The hetairai business had implications in fashion and taste beyond the realm of prostitution. As sex and sexuality in Greek culture evolved, courtesans were inclined to follow suit to stay fashionable and to keep up with business. The reverse is also true—as certain aspects of hetairai culture became popular, they would diffuse into everyday Greek life and fashion as well. For example, Athenian women seemed to have “learned to imitate the styles” of the prostitute. This included the removal of pubic hair, applying makeup, and adopting their style of dress. (Source)

She was from Ionia city of Miletus. Aspasia was companion to Pericles and she fully participated in circles of science, artistry and the intellectuals who surrounded Pericles. according to ancient Greek legend she taught rhetoric, wrote many of Pericles speeches and regularly conversed with the philosopher Socrates.

Olive’s

Despoina was heavy with the child of her master, as well as cooking she worked in the grooves picking olives. She loved her time there, which allowed a slave some time to think and wonder. Karpos her master was a wealthy citizen of Ionia. Desponia was treated as well as a slave could be treated. she had become a slave when her father could not pay back the loans on his land, this very land she is working had belonged to her father.

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Writer Note:

I am taking this history class for the second time. The first time I was fascinated by this character, Aspasia, from history but this time I am going to give it a slow go. For me I use the blog as a creative board, with colors, images and sound. I write but I am a visual person, a film maker, so the blog inspires me to write. I think this character would make a great film, I can see it in my head. Normally when that happens I can actualization the concept.

This is the third of my story blogs. the first one Writing Works In Progress is a co writing story project with another blogger. We have written the shit out of that story, I am pretty proud of us. That story is just in my head like a movie, it writes itself, and my co-writer says the same thing. It’s cool and been a good experience. * Now that I know odie mama has a degree on the topic????*******

Then someone had a story where you added to it in the following paragraph…and I thought of this new sexy Bridgette Bardo spy character Sabrina Watanabe the look and feel of the blog inspires the story in me. So that what is up with this space. Not easy to write historical things but I can frame the story. Wish me luck. lol Can I actually write a conversation with Socrates? I better read some Plato.

Sindy