The Celebrity Sex Worker of Ancient Greece

2024-03-19

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This is the story of one of the most notorious women of the Ancient world.Phrynne was a sex worker in the 4th century BC who came from an impoverished background to be one of the most talked about, and wealthiest, women in Greece.What do we know about her remarkable life? Was it true that by exposing her breasts in court, she was acquitted from a potential death penalty? And how has her influence been felt in the centuries since then?Joining Kate today is Melissa Funke, author of Phryne: A Life in...

This is the story of one of the most notorious women of the Ancient world.

Phrynne was a sex worker in the 4th century BC who came from an impoverished background to be one of the most talked about, and wealthiest, women in Greece.

What do we know about her remarkable life? Was it true that by exposing her breasts in court, she was acquitted from a potential death penalty? And how has her influence been felt in the centuries since then?

Joining Kate today is Melissa Funke, author of Phryne: A Life in Fragments, to find out more.

This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

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