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.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspasia
_______________________________
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)