Trying Neaira

Neaira grew up in a Corinthian brothel in the 4th century BC and became one of the city-state's priciest courtesans while yet a teenager. In her twenties she served as the sex slave of two former clients and endured an abusive relationship with an unsavoury Athenian. Finally she met Stephanos, an Athenian citizen with whom she lived for the next 30 years. Neaira's life with Stephanos was riddled with lawsuits. In the 340s Neaira was dragged into court and charged with transgressing Athens's marriage laws. During the trial, zealous prosecutors dredged up the most sordid details of her life. The stakes in the case were high; Neaira's freedom lay in the jurors' hands. The details of Neaira's life are known because the speech delivered in court by her prosecutor has survived. Here, with a more sympathetic eye toward the protagonist, Debra Hamel explains the historical, legal and cultural context of the trial. In reconstructing the facts of Neaira's life, this text aims to illuminate the social world of Ancient Greece.