“I marvel that Aspasia, who is only a woman, should be able to compose such a speech; she must be a rare one.” –Menexenus by Plato
The ancient Greeks loom large in history. Responsible for architectural wonders, cultural institutions, and historic figures However, there is one woman who loomed large on the Greek political and philosophical stage who has been relegated to the shadows of history, Aspasia. A highly educated woman who married the powerful politician, Pericles, became a mentor and teacher to Socrates, and faced ridicule from society and her husband’s political opponents. She was compared to Helen of Troy and blamed for everything from famine, to war, to her husband’s political decisions. After her death, her legacy forked between an uppity concubine and a gifted scholar but in recent generations she has been all but forgotten.
Featured Guest: Prof. Yvonne Korshak, a historian with a focus on ancient Greece and author of the novel Pericles and Aspasia
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