The Erotics of Manumussion: Prostitutes and the πρᾶσις ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ

This paper explores evidence for third party manumissions, indicated in the sources by forms of λυέσθαι and λυτρώσασθαι. It considers the procedure followed and the legal status of slaves freed in this manner, but the focus is on conceptions of this method of manumission and social mentalities toward it. The paper concludes that this practice was an informal procedure of manumission used to free prostitutes. Oratory and comedy employ it as an example of youthful extravagance and to comment on an opponent’s negative mental state. It also highlights a common stereotype of prostitutes as manipulative and scheming. While the procedure of third party manumission supports arguments for different classes of freed slaves, it also questions the idea that masters imposed formal conditions on the freedom of ex-slaves in classical Athens.