Aspāsia of Miletus

Aspāsia, of Miletus, the mistress of the Athenian statesman Pericles after he divorced his wife. She had the reputation of being a woman of intellect who conversed with Socrates. Naturally enough she was often attacked for supposedly influencing Pericles' political actions, and was a target for writers of comedy. She bore Pericles a son, also called Pericles, who was legitimated by decree after the death in the plague of 430 of his father's two sons by his lawful wife. After Pericles' death she was said to have married the democratic politician Lysicles and to have borne him a son.