Volumnia Cytheris

Volumnia Cytheris (fl. 1st-century BC) was an ancient Roman actress and mimae dancer. She is foremost known as the mistress of several famous Romans.

She was originally a slave and later freedwoman. On stage, she was normally referred to only as Cytheris. The name derived from "Cythera" a nickname for Aphrodite.[1] She had relationships with Brutus and Mark Antony,[2] which attracted a lot of attention in contemporary ancient Rome. She is mentioned as the companion of her aristocratic lovers in social occasions when the presence of a courtesan was otherwise not common, and considered shocking.

Her rejection of Cornelius Gallus reportedly provided the theme for Virgil's tenth Eclogue.[3] Gallus refers to her in his work under the name Lycoris.[4]

She is one of few free influential Roman courtesans mentioned by her contemporaries, others being Praecia and Chelidon.[5]

See also

References
  1. Hancock-Jones, Robert; Menashe, Dan; Renshaw, James (24 August 2017). OCR Classical Civilisation GCSE Route 2: Women in the Ancient World. ISBN 9781350015043.
  2. Balsdon, J.P.V.D. (1962). Roman Women. The Bodley Head.
  3. Sarah B. Pomeroy, Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, pp 198–9 ISBN 0-8052-1030-X
  4. Miller, Paul Allen (15 April 2013). Latin Erotic Elegy: An Anthology and Reader. ISBN 9781135641887.
  5. Anise K. Strong: Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World
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