Philainis

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Philainis was an ancient Greek writer from Leukas or Samos . It is used by several authors in the 3rd century BC. Mentioned as the author of a book about the positions in the act of love. This book has not survived, but it seems to have been very popular in its time. It has been handed down that, among other things, one passed the time at guest parties by talking about the sexual positions she described and arguing about which of them was the most pleasant. In her popularity she can be compared to the author Elephantis , who wrote a similar work. Philainis herself seems to have distanced herself later from this work, because according to tradition she is said to have resisted in her grave inscription against ever having written something so shameless. Instead she names a certain Polycrates from Athens as the real author of the work.

In addition to ancient authors, it is also mentioned by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in his Roman elegies .

swell

  • Athenaios 220; 335; 457
  • Timaeus with Polybius, story 12,13,1

literature

  • Picture dictionary of eroticism. Verlag für Kulturforschung, Vienna 1928–1930
  • Bernhard Kytzler : women of antiquity. From Aspasia to Zenobia . Artemis, Munich & Zurich 2000, ISBN 3-7608-1224-4 , p. 132.
personal data
SURNAME Philainis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient greek author
DATE OF BIRTH between 10th century BC BC and 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH between 10th century BC BC and 2nd century BC Chr.