Why was Aspasia important?

Answer 1

Aspasia was the consort of Pericles, 'first citizen' of Athens, and reputedly exercised influence over him. She is mentioned in several comedies of the time. She had a son also called Pericles, who as a general was later executed for not saving the lives of seamen of warships sunk in the battle of Arginusai

One contemporary poem said that some drunken young men of neighbouring city Megara visited her brothel and stole one of the girls. She persuaded Pericles to impose a ruinous penalty on the city, and it was this which led the Peloponnesian League, of which Megara was part, to demand an end to it, and when refused, begin the disastrous 27-year Peloponnesian War which devastated Greece 'because of that mad bitch Aspasia'.

The facts of her life are unclear.

Answer 2

It seems she used her relationship with Pericles to goad him into some of his less impressive actions.

There is a contemporary poem which says that she pressed him into the confrontation with Megara - some drunken men from that city abducted a prostitute from her brothel, and she got Pericles to organise a boycott of the city to ruin it. Megara appealed to the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League which it was a member of, Athens refused to back down and the Peloponnesian War ensued. Athens lost the war.

She was also the mother of Pericles' son also called Pericles. This son became a general and was falsely accused and executed along with another five generals for not rescuing sailors from sunken ships in the battle of Arginusae.

Answer 3

aspasia was the most famous woman in greek history of the Athens