Concubines
Could a concubine’s child inherit royal power?
4 (34)
43 mins
Explore the lives of women who served as royal partners, companions, and secondary wives from Greece to China. Also discover how status, culture, and law shaped their influence, duties, and the destinies of their children.
Ep 1:
From Courtly Attendants to Royal Beds
Trace the surprising evolution of courtesans from trusted royal advisors to celebrated bedfellows, then journey back to Greece and Rome where these roles first took shape.
Ep 2:
Empires of the Harem
Step into the opulent, secretive worlds of Islamic harems and Chinese imperial courts, where beauty, education, and deadly rivalry shaped empires—and one emperor's heartbreak changed everything.
Ep 3:
Law, Lust, and Loyalty in Ancient Courts
Explore how medieval marriage loopholes, priestly scandal, and ancient Babylonian and Assyrian law codified concubinage into rigid systems of status, power, and control.
Ep 4:
Philosophy, Duty, and the Search for Sons
Discover how clashing Chinese philosophies—rigid Confucian duty and mystical Taoist sexuality—collided with the harsh economic realities facing women in old Canton.
Ep 5:
Golden Cages: Power, Peril, and Legacy
Uncover how concubines became spies, misunderstood icons, and privileged prisoners—and what their forgotten stories still reveal about power and survival today.
Discussions (14)
Roman
Level 8 · 9 mo agoBasically the original gig economy with better pay.
Kyle
Level 7 · 8 mo agoI don't buy the claim that courtesans weren't prostitutes. Selling yourself for money and titles is the same job regardless of how fancy the title is.
Autumn
Level 5 · 9 mo agoPersonally, I find the political influence of courtesans fascinating. The espionage stories like Mata Hari's definitely show how high the stakes were.
