Welcome to the World of 'Improper' Women!
In our last sections, we looked at the "ideal" woman: the perfect wife who stayed home and stayed quiet. But ancient Greece and Rome weren't just full of perfect wives! There were many women who lived outside these strict rules. These are the women the ancient writers often called ‘improper’.
By studying these women, we learn two things: what life was like for those who didn't fit the "perfect" mold, and what men were actually afraid of! Don't worry if the Greek and Latin terms seem confusing at first; we will break them down into simple pieces together.
1. Ancient Greece: Pornai and Hetairai
In Athens, if a woman wasn't a kyria (a respectable wife/head of household), she usually fell into one of two categories. Think of this like a ladder of social status.
The Pornai (The Bottom Rung)
The term pornai refers to lower-class sex workers.
• Who they were: Usually slaves or foreigners (metics).
• Where they worked: They usually worked in brothels or on the streets.
• The Law: The state actually taxed their earnings. They had very few rights and were often treated quite harshly.
The Hetairai (The Top Rung)
The hetairai (which literally means ‘companions’) were much more high-status.
• Who they were: Often highly educated, talented in music (like the aulos flute), and skilled in the art of conversation.
• The Difference: Unlike the average Athenian wife, they could manage their own money and choose their own lovers.
• The Symposium: This is key! A symposium was a male-only drinking party. No "respectable" wife would ever be there. The only women allowed were hetairai, who were there to entertain the men with music and smart talk.
Memory Aid:
Pornai = Public and Poor.
Hetairai = High-class and Highly-educated.
2. Greek Case Studies: Aspasia and Neaira
The syllabus asks you to know two specific women who caused a stir in Athens.
Aspasia: The Intellectual
Aspasia was a famous hetaira from Miletus. She became the partner of Pericles, the most powerful man in Athens.
• Why was she ‘improper’? She wasn't an Athenian citizen, so she couldn't legally marry Pericles.
• Her Power: Writers like Plutarch tell us she was incredibly smart. Philosophers like Socrates even came to listen to her speak!
• The Scandal: Men attacked her because they were jealous of her influence over Pericles. They even accused her of "running a brothel" to ruin her reputation.
Neaira: The Lawsuit
Neaira was a woman whose life became a famous court case.
• The Story: She was born a slave and worked as a hetaira. Later, she lived with a man named Stephanos and tried to pass herself off as his legitimate Athenian wife.
• The Big No-No: In Athens, it was a major crime for a non-citizen woman to pretend to be a citizen wife. This was to keep the citizen bloodline "pure."
Did you know? In the trial of Neaira, the lawyer famously said that men have "wives for children, concubines for daily care, and hetairai for pleasure." This shows exactly how men viewed these different roles!
3. Ancient Rome: Meretrix and Lena
Roman society was also very strict about who was "proper." Women who sold sexual services were given the legal status of infamia.
Key Roman Terms:
• Meretrix: A registered sex worker. They had to wear a toga (the garment of men) instead of the stola (the dress of a respectable woman) so everyone knew who they were.
• Lena: A female "pimp" or madam who managed other women. They were looked down upon even more than the meretrix.
The Status of Infamia
If a woman was a meretrix or an actress, she lost her legal standing.
• Analogy: Imagine losing your "license" to be a citizen. You couldn't testify in court or marry a high-ranking man.
• Reasoning: Romans valued pudicitia (modesty/chastity). By selling themselves or performing on stage, these women had "thrown away" their modesty.
4. Roman Case Studies: Clodia and Cytheris
Even rich or talented women could be labeled ‘improper’ if they behaved like men.
Clodia (The Scandalous Noble)
Clodia was a high-born woman from a very powerful family, but she was famous for her "wild" lifestyle.
• Lesbia: Most historians believe she is the woman the poet Catullus calls "Lesbia" in his famous poems. He writes about his intense love and then his bitter hatred for her because she had many lovers.
• Cicero’s Attack: In a famous court case (Pro Caelio), the lawyer Cicero called her a "Medusa" and a "whore." He used her "improper" behavior (like partying and having affairs) to prove she couldn't be trusted.
Cytheris (The Actress)
Cytheris (also known as Lycoris) was a famous actress and mima (performer).
• The Status: Because she was an actress, she had infamia.
• The Connection: She was the mistress of powerful men like Mark Antony.
• The Problem: Romans were shocked when powerful men took "improper" women like Cytheris to official events. It was seen as an insult to "proper" Roman values.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume these women were "unsuccessful." Someone like Clodia was very rich and powerful! The term ‘improper’ was often used by male writers as a weapon to attack women who were too independent or influential.
Summary: Key Takeaways
1. Context is Everything: Women were 'improper' if they worked outside the home, were highly educated, or had multiple lovers.
2. Greek Roles: Pornai were low-status; Hetairai were educated companions who attended symposia.
3. Roman Roles: The meretrix had to wear a toga and suffered from infamia (loss of reputation).
4. The Sources: We mostly hear about these women through men (like Cicero or Catullus) who were either angry at them or trying to win a legal case. This means the evidence might be biased!
Quick Quiz:
1. What was the name of the drinking party where hetairai were allowed? (The Symposium)
2. Which Roman woman was attacked by Cicero in a court case? (Clodia)
3. What happened to a Roman woman's legal rights if she became a meretrix? (She gained 'infamia')