Aspasia was a renowned woman of ancient Greece, famous for her romantic involvement with the Athenian statesman Pericles. She was born in the city of Miletus in Asia Minor, but at some point she travelled to Athens, where she spent the rest of her life. After Pericles' death, she was allegedly involved with Lysicles, another Athenian statesman and general. She had a son with Pericles, Pericles the Younger, who was elected general and was executed after the Battle of Arginusae. Aspasia appears in the philosophical writings of Plato and other philosophers and is regarded by modern scholars as an exceptional person who distinguished herself due to her political influence and intellectual charisma. However, almost nothing is certain about her life. While ancient writers report that Aspasia was a brothel keeper and a harlot, many of these were comic poets who intended to ridicule Pericles and the war rather than document anything factual about Aspasia, and their accounts are disputed. Some researchers question even the assessment that she was a hetaera, or courtesan.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

364: Valentinian I was elected Roman Emperor by officers of the Roman military at Nicaea, Bithynia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentinian_I)

1838: Lower Canada Rebellion: Robert Nelson, leader of the Patriotes, proclaimed the independence of Lower Canada. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Nelson)

1900: Second Boer War: The 118-day Siege of Ladysmith was lifted. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Ladysmith)

1972: United States President Richard Nixon's visit to the People's Republic of China concluded with the two countries issuing the Shanghai Communiqué, pledging to work toward the full normalization of diplomatic relations. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Nixon_visit_to_China)

1986: Prime Minister Olof Palme of Sweden was assassinated in Stockholm. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Palme_assassination)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

Near the snow, near the sun, in the highest fields, See how these names are feted in the waving grass And by the streamers of the white cloud And whispers of the wind in the listening sky. The names of those who in their lives fought for life, Who wore at their hearts the fire's centre. Born of the sun, they travelled a short while toward the sun And left the vivid air signed with their honour. -- Stephen Spender (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stephen_Spender)