Aspasia
Aspasia had a relatioship with Pericles and was an influential figure of ancient Athens.
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Timeline
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
1973 Placed.
Aspasia had a relatioship with Pericles and was an influential figure of ancient Athens.
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The marble bust of Aspasia is a work of the sculptor Maria Karetsou and sits on a two-level pedestal. On the left, there is the engraved signature of the sculptor. The sculpture has been vandalized several times, sometimes with sprays, sometimes with detachment of parts of the face.
Aspasia came from Miletus, but spent most of her life in Athens. Plato, Aristophanes and Xenophon make references to her. She was the partner of the Athenian politician Pericles, on whom she is said to have had great influence. They also had a son. She was an educated woman, something unusual for the time. People of that era, as well as tradition, said that Aspasia ran a brothel and was a sex worker herself. Modern scholars, however, agree that these were slanders intended to hurt Pericles, as well as her, due to her strong personality.
Antonopoulou Z., (2003), Τα γλυπτά της Αθήνας, Υπαίθρια Γλυπτική1834-2004 [The sculptures of Athens, Outdoor sculpting 1834-2004], Potamos
Loraux N., (2003), Aspasie, l’étrangère, l’intellectuelle, La Grèce au Féminin, Belles Lettres
Savage Landor W., (2004), Pericles and Aspasia, Kessinger Publishing
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