The woman behind the great men of the 5th century B.C.

Throughout history many great contributors have either been eliminated or left out of western history, most of whom are women and one being Aspasia of Miletus. Aspasia came to Athens from Miletus, she was a highly educated women from a literate family. Aspasia was definitely an exception to the normal young women of the 5th century, in that most women were not educated to any great extent.

Aspasia's accomplishments are numerous and her knowledge and influence has affected many great minds and renowned thinkers including Plato, Pericles, and Socrates. For Aspasia, being a non-Athenian excluded her from the law that governed Athenian women, and enabled her to live outside of these laws making it possible for her to distinguish herself as a great writer, rhetorician and philosopher. Because there are no physical works of Aspasia available, all of Aspasia's work has survived only through the voices of the men she influenced.

Much of Aspasia's work was heard through the voice of her lover Pericles. Aspasia is well known for her courtesan salon, a school for girls of wealthy families. This salon was frequented by many great politicians and philosophers who would gather along with their wives or mistresses to indulge in her knowledge and words of wisdom. The salon would be used by these men as a way in which to influence and pool intellectual minds.

Through her teaching and influence, we have the great works of Socrates, Plato and Pericles, who are greatly respected for their vast knowledge and contributions. Aspasia's influence on these great men such as Plato, Xenophon, Cicero, Plutarch, Athenaeus and of course Pericles is very evident in the manner in which they attributed much of their own knowledge to the influence of Aspasia.

Most obviously Pericles was the man who Aspasia most deeply influenced, not only by her knowledge but also due to the physical relationship that the two had. One of the great works in which Aspasia most influenced Pericles was his popular Funeral Oration. Pericles' ability as an orator is credited to Aspasia and to the intellectual influence she had on him. Plato also, though not a lover, was greatly impressed and influenced by Aspasia's intellect. Plato openly credits her for her contribution to Pericles Funeral Oration.

Another great admirer of Aspasia was the the great Socrates, who also openly credited Aspasia for making Pericles one of the great Greek orators, specifically in his Menexenus. Socrates also credits Aspasia as one of his own instructors of rhetoric. Although Aspasia is by no means the only woman to contribute so much to the history of rhetoric and philosophy, the men she influenced made it possible for Aspasia's work to be recognised. Not only has Aspasia's work influenced the greats such as Socrates, Plato and Pericles, she will continue to influence the modern writer, philosophers and orators through the works, writings and ideas of these men.