Lamia
Flourished late 4th–early 3rd century B.C.E., Macedon, ancient Greece
The Greek flautist Lamia became a courtesan and eventually the beloved of Demetrius I, king of Macedon (reigned 294–288 B.C.E.). Known for her wit and talent, the Athenians consecrated a temple of Aphrodite in Lamia’s name to gain favor with Demetrius. She amassed a small fortune and funded an art gallery—thought to be the second in history—at Sicyon. Lamia’s exploits are documented in Plutarch’s life of Demetrius (circa C.E. 75) and The Deipnosophists of Athenaeus (flourished circa C.E. 200).
