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. Onstage, she was normally referred to only as Cytheris. She had relationships with Brutus and Mark Antony, 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.[1] Gallus refers to her in his work under the name Lycoris.

She is one of few free influential Roman courtesans mentioned by her contemporaries, others being Praecia and Chelidon.[2]

See also

References
  1. Sarah B. Pomeroy, Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, pp 198–9 ISBN 0-8052-1030-X
  2. Anise K. Strong: Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World
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