Sexual Labor in the Athenian Courts

Allison Glazebrook is a professor of Classics at Brock University. She is a coeditor of Houses of Ill Repute: The Archaeology of Brothels, Houses, and Taverns in the Greek World and of Greek Prostitutes in the Ancient Mediterranean 800 BCE to 200 CE.

Allison Glazebrook does an especially nice job of explicating the complexities of Athenian juridical practices. Since these texts are rarely talked about, the chapters on Alke and Simon are welcome, especially the former because it points to patterns that recur in other rhetorical depictions of prostitution and significantly brings that text into the discussion of female sexuality and prostitution in ancient Greece.— Kate GilhulyAllison Glazebrook's main contribution is to direct attention to the rhetorical and cultural constructions of sex laborers, male and female. Although the speeches discussed in the book have been studied extensively elsewhere, she manages to add new insights concerning Athenian anxieties about sex laborers and how they were manipulated by the orators.— Joseph Roisman[Sexual Labor in the Athenian Courts] will be a valuable addition to the library of scholars in Athenian forensic oratory and ancient sexuality and gender.— The Classical Review[A] splendid and important book...Glazebrook's demonstration of the potential power of even enslaved sex laborers in Athens is a signal example of the many insights found in this volume. Scholars of Athens, and academics pursuing gender and liberation studies, are alike now indebted to Allison Glazebrook for an outstanding book, well-organized, well-researched and well-written, offering a pioneering approach to the writing of social history.— Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewA valuable contribution to the field…[Sexual Labor in the Athenian Courts] is a book which will be valuable for new students of sexuality and gender in antiquity and for experienced scholars alike...Glazebrook provides a worthwhile discussion of how the portrayal of sex labourers is used by the orators to expose and test the tensions within Athenian social norms and institutions...the book's streamlined focus constrains discussions to the Attic orators, resulting in a tight, focused and thorough exploration of sexual labour within the genre.— Journal of Hellenic StudiesGlazebrook's writing is clear and to the point. The introduction's explanation of the Athenian court system, with a map indicating potential locations of the courts, reveals two strengths of the book that will be found throughout: incorporating material evidence and maintaining accessibility for nonspecialists...The standout features of the book are its consideration of place and movement, its inclusion of material culture, its amplification of female citizenship, and its accessibility...The book achieves its aims of treating the trope of the sex laborer in the orators as a window into Athenian society.— American Historical ReviewSexual Labor [in the Athenian Courts] is refreshingly clearly written. Glazebrook briefly but helpfully explains relevant technical points (for example, on legal processes) and key concepts (like the important but fuzzy ideological distinction between pederasty and prostitution), avoiding over-simplification and acknowledging problems and contradictions. She will offer a variety of scholars' opinions and either pick out the one closest to hers or identify the 'bottom line,' . . . the examination is illuminating and useful.— RhetoricaIn her excellently organized and presented book, Glazebrook offers an eloquent and thorough analysis of such characters and many insights on the subject, focusing on the presentation of 'sex laborers' to elucidate the complex Athenian ideology on the sex trade and those engaged with it. [Sexual Labor in the Athenian Courts] is a valuable contribution to modern literature, especially for scholars working on the Attic orators and researchers working on the sex trade, gender, and sexuality in classical Athens.— Mediterranean Studies

• List of FiguresA Note to the ReaderAcknowledgmentsIntroduction 1. Under the Influence2. In the Oikos3. Part of the Family4. Same-Sex Desire5. Citizen Sex Slaves ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex