LIPSTICK AND LINGERIE

Ancient history is full of women who are called beautiful. In mythology, Helen is called the most beautiful woman in the world. According to tradition, the hetaira Phryne enraptured the sculptors Apelles and Praxiteles, modelling for the Aphrodite of Knidos. However, we know little about what was considered beautiful in ancient Greece. We do know, however, what women could do make themselves appear more beautiful.

Owain Williams

SPECIAL BEAUTIFICATION IN CLASSICAL ATHENS There are many women who are said to be beautiful in Athenian literature. However, what made these women beautiful is not usually elaborated on. Instead, the audience is left to project their own ideas of beauty onto the characters. The literary sources do give us some indication as to Athenian beauty standards in terms of women's bodies. Women's breasts were frequently compared to small fruit and vegetables, such as quince (Aristophanes, Acharnians 1198-9; Assemblywomen 901-5). Xenophon says it was important that women could control their appetites (Economics 7.6), and elsewhere, in his Memorabilia, he says that women “soft and plump, with high feeding” (2.1.22) are lascivious, suggesting that men found women with a slim figure attractive, but this may be connected to Xenophon's advocation of…

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Ancient History (Digital) - 1 Issue, AH 46

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