This month, I celebrate the ancient HETAIRA - COURTESANS or MISTRESSES - of Ancient Greece, a male dominated society in which marriage was rarely for love. Extensive information with lots of references at this link to the University of Chicago.
"In classical literature, there are witty hetairai and ones of divine beauty, those who are generous with their wealth and others with hearts of gold. But, for all these portrayals, it must be remembered that virtually none were citizens of Athens; many were slaves who had been purchased and trained from childhood in such a life. Whatever power they had came from their ability to be recognized by the powerful men with whom they consorted, who would love them and made them their mistresses or concubines."
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