Web. Lysicles died in 427 BCE, and nearly no record of Aspasia exists after that. Aspasia, (flourished 5th century bc ), mistress of the Athenian statesman Pericles and a vivid figure in Athenian society. After Pericles’ death, Aspasia virtually disappears from the historical record. She was irresponsibly accused of urging Pericles to crush the island of Samos, Miletus’ old rival, and to provoke war with Sparta. Aspasia is the protagonist in Taylor Caldwell's novel Glory and the Lightning, 1974, Doubleday & Company. Aspasia of Miletus (470-410 BCE, approximately) is best known as the consort and close companion of the great Athenian statesman Pericles. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aspasia. Flourished Mid Fifth Century b.c.e. Pericles was a statesman and general who was elected 15 years in a row (Freeman 251). Pericles and Aspasia, Volume 2...: Landor, Walter Savage: Amazon.nl. The Plague of Athens (429-426 BCE) struck the city, most likely... Aspasia: Influential Concubine to Pericles, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. 1. Nonetheless, there was a faction of Athens that held Aspasia in quite high esteem, including Socrates. Ancient History Encyclopedia. writer873, . She used her status to open a school of philosophy and rhetoric, and she is known to have had enormous influence over such prominent leaders and philosophers as Pericles, Plato, and Socrates. -They had a son, named Related Content He made many important political contributions to Athens and was also a military leader. Addeddate 2008-02-20 16:13:42 A single reference mentions that she became the companion of another rising politician, a … Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Corrections? Aspasia and Pericles - Myth Animation Ep. Aspasia was the influential lover and partner of Athenian statesman Pericles in Classical-era Athens. Nonetheless, there was a faction of Athens that held Aspasia in quite high esteem, including Socrates. Aspasia's incredible beauty, her intellect, and her powers of persuasion attracted the Athenian general, who was divorced from his first wife. Hetaira. Plato credits her with teaching Pericles the art of rhetoric and records that Socrates enjoyed conversing with her. Companion.Milesian born, Aspasia was a well-known and influential hetaira of the Classical Period. Aspasia, (flourished 5th century bc), mistress of the Athenian statesman Pericles and a vivid figure in Athenian society. Aspasia. Biography. Aspasia synonyms, Aspasia pronunciation, Aspasia translation, English dictionary definition of Aspasia. Pericles, a leading politician in Athens, took a liking to Aspasia, and she became his companion around 445 B.C.E. Aspasia was the mistress of Pericles, the leader of Athens during the Classical Age. Not all … Aspasia (470 BC-400 BC) was an Athenian hetaera (upper-class courtesan) who, as the lover and partner of the statesman Pericles, wielded considerable political power at the time of the Peloponnesian War.. In 451 B.C.E., this same Pericles introduced a law that precluded the sons of non … 400 v.Chr. According to some ancient sources she was skilled in rhetoric and took part in the intellectual discussions of the leading men in Athens, including Socrates. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. This is often held up as one of history’s great love stories – Plutarch wrote that Pericles kissed Aspasia every single day. She lived with Pericles from 445 b.c.e., after he divorced his wife, until his death in 429 b.c.e. Submitted by writer873, published on 18 January 2012 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. - ca. On the stately Pericles, Lord of the Athenian seas, And of Greece's destinies. Aspasia's brain and potential influence over Pericles in matters of administration were likely quite threatening to other Athenians, and she and Pericles were often the target of scandalous rumors and personal attacks. Selecteer uw cookievoorkeuren. Aspasia (ca. Some historians place her death shortly before that. Angry history and moral Aspasia's brain and potential influence over Pericles in matters of administration were likely quite threatening to other Athenians, and she and Pericles were often the target of scandalous rumors and personal attacks. Pericles and Aspasia by Landor, Walter Savage, 1775-1864. Pericles and Aspasia...: Landor, Walter Savage: Amazon.nl. According to legend, Aspasia of Miletus was a courtesan, the teacher of Socrates, and the political adviser of her lover Pericles. Aspasia appears in Assassin's Creed Odysseyas the partner of the Athenian statesman Pericles and the leader of the villainous Cult of Kosmos. Eventually, it is though by some that Aspasia even ran her own brothel. "Aspasia: Influential Concubine to Pericles." She was a hetaira, a trained and paid companion who accompanied upper-class men to the symposiums. A few sources suggest that she traveled there when her older sister married Alcibiades, who had been ostracized from Athens, and had spent his expulsion in Miletus. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. The prints impress with the finest color nuances, large color space and UV resistance. This did not make her popular among most Athenians. She was known for having been quite outspoken. fl. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. Aspasia endured a great amount of revulsion for living her life on her own terms and speaking out on issues. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Aspasia And Pericles The most famous woman of Ancient Athens was Aspasia, the companion of the great leader of Athens, Pericles. -But Pericles still treated her as his wife. Omissions? Although Aspasia came from the Greek Anatolian city of Miletus and was not a citizen of Athens, she lived with Pericles from about 445 until his death in 429. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Aspasia was the metic lover of the Athenian politician Pericles, and gave birth to his son-without-full-rights, who was also called Pericles. 470 v.Chr. Aspasia and Pericles had a son, who was also named Pericles. More significant than the political abuse she attracted as Pericles’ partner is the strong tradition that Aspasia was skilled at oratorical composition, instruction, and philosophic conversation. 26 Notes - no table of contents. Publication date 1836 Topics Aspasia, Pericles, 499-429 B.C Publisher London Saunders and Otley Collection robarts; toronto Digitizing sponsor MSN Contributor Robarts - University of Toronto Language English Volume 1. (2012, January 18). 16 Jan 2021. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. Updates? But their relationship is really more important because it was central to a key period. Because she was a courtesan, Pericles was not permitted to marry her, but in every way she was his partner and an important Athenian in her own right. Our canvas prints of the motif »Aspasia and Pericles« are printed on high-quality canvas using high-end digital printers (Canon iPF 9400). Aspasia was born in Miletus, Ionia in 470 BC, the daughter of Axiochus. Aspasia and Pericles Aspasia and Pericles Aspasia and Pericles... Aspasia and Pericles lived together as husband and wife. And that’s very sweet and romantic, but their high-profile relationship was central to a key period in Greek history. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She was likely born into a wealthy family because she was known to have been highly educated.. How she arrived in Athens is the source of some debate among scholars. Thank you! Last modified January 18, 2012. But it did catch the eye of Pericles. Round her small head, perfume-breathing Was a myrtle stem, Fitter for her bright hair's wreathing Than or gold or gem; ⁠ … Myth Stories - Animated Legends 1,847 views. She was the paramour of Pericles, who was unarguably the most influential and prolific statesman, orator, and general of Athens of the time. Having spent her childhood in Miletus where the mores regarding the freedoms of women were somewhat more relaxed than in Athens, Aspasia would have adapted to the hetaera lifestyle quite well. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. 10 | Greek Mythology In AC Odyssey - Duration: 3:46. People listened to Aspasia, and some Athenian men even brought their wives to her in hopes that they would gain some insight and intellect from her words. He was eventually made a citizen by special enactment and later became a general. Life as a hetaera would have allowed her to branch out from the ordinary life of an Athenian woman and not be confined to the home. Aspasia of Miletus was a scholar and philosopher whose intellectual influence distinguished her in Athenian culture, which treated women as second-class citizens during the 5th century B.C.E. Pericles himself is recorded as praising her wisdom and sense of politics. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 18 Jan 2012. In more recent years, it's been widely observed that what's good for the heart is good for the penis, and vice-versa. Next to Sappho and Cleopatra, she … Aspasia bore him a son, Pericles the Younger. "Aspasia: Influential Concubine to Pericles." Aspasia was born around 470 BCE in Miletus in Asia Minor. writer873, . And everything is … ; Oudgrieks: Ἀσπασία / Aspasía) was de hoogbegaafde Milesische levensgezellin van de Atheense staatsman Perikles, met wie zij (na zijn echtscheiding van zijn eerste vrouw) in concubinaat leefde. She bore Pericles a son, also named Pericles, out of wedlock. Selecteer uw cookievoorkeuren. Plutarch, for example, wrote that Pericles kissed Aspasia every single day once when he went out for the day and again when he returned, and that is very sweet and romantic. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/article/73/. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Aspasia: Influential Concubine to Pericles. They were very much in love, and they had one son, also named Pericles. c. 440 bc. Ancient History Encyclopedia. 3:46. Some records indicate that Aspasia went on to marry another Athenian general, Lysicles and had a son with him. Greek hetaera and lover of Pericles who was noted for her wisdom, wit, and beauty. It is unclear whether Pericles and Aspasia were legally married. 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