The Role of the Hetaira in Athenian Society
Date
2023-05
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
The hetaira, a high-class prostitute, existed in a gray area in ancient Athenian society. On one hand, the hetaira was necessary for protecting Athenian women from moicheia and provided a socially acceptable outlet for extramarital sex. However, the hetaira's access to the innermost parts of the oikos was potentially threatening to both the role of Athenian women in the polis and the polis in general. This paper looks to modern scholarship, Athenian law court speeches, and other ancient texts to illustrate the nuanced role the hetaira played as both a necessary feature to ensure the health of the polis and a threat to the integrity of the polis. It also attempts to address, and remove, modern bias surrounding sex work in an attempt to understand prostitution on the terms of the ancient Athenians.