Hetairai: The Ancient Greek Courtesans Who Shaped Sex, Power, and Culture

When you think of sex work in ancient times, you might picture forced labor or invisible women. But hetairai, highly educated female companions in ancient Greece who provided intellectual, emotional, and sexual companionship. Also known as courtesans, they were not slaves or common prostitutes—they were often free women who owned property, spoke multiple languages, and moved in circles of philosophers, politicians, and artists. Unlike pornai—the lower-class sex workers who served in brothels or streets—hetairai were hired for conversation, music, and wit as much as for sex. They could attend symposia, debate Plato, and influence public opinion. Their power came from choice, skill, and social access.

Their existence challenges modern assumptions about gender and autonomy. While most women in ancient Greece were confined to the home, hetairai moved freely in public life. They weren’t just sexual partners—they were cultural brokers. Some, like Aspasia, partner of Pericles, shaped Athenian politics and hosted intellectual salons. Others became wealthy enough to commission statues and fund temples. Their relationships were negotiated, not coerced. And while society still judged them, their status was unique: they could divorce, inherit, and even sue in court. This wasn’t just survival—it was strategy.

Modern discussions about sex work, consent, and female agency often ignore this ancient model. But the hetairai prove that commercialized intimacy doesn’t have to mean exploitation. Their legacy lives on in how we think about companionship, intellectual equality, and economic independence in sex work today. You’ll find their echoes in the stories of Victorian courtesans, early 20th-century entertainers, and even today’s independent models who control their own branding, pricing, and boundaries. Below, you’ll discover how their world connected to everything from Etruscan tomb art to feminist debates over female pleasure—and why their story still matters.