LEONIDES, King of Sparta (b. circa 540 BCE); King of Sparta, the 17^th of the Agiad line, one of the sons of King Anaxandridas II of Sparta, who was believed to be a descendant of Heracles, possessing much of the strength and bravery that made his ancestor famous. While it has been established (to say nothing of being turned into the film “300”) that King Leonidas of Sparta died at the Battle of Thermoplylae in August, 480 B.C.. Very little is known about the year of his birth, or for that matter, his formative years, but it is likely that he was accompanied by his “army of lovers” and no doubt, had his own by his side.

For more: Gay Warriors, by Burg, B. R., et al.; New York: New York University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-8147-9886-1.

TODAY'S GAY WISDOM

Notable ancient Greek warriors who had same-sex love relationships:

ARISTOMENES — Prince of the Messenians and Arcadians

CIMON — leader of the Delian League forces and the Athenian navy, gaining notoriety in the Persian Wars

ASOPHICHUS — great warrior and lover of Epaminondas

CAPHISODORUS — warrior and lover of Epaminondas whom he died with at the battle of Mantineia

CLEOMACHUS — led Chalcis to victory in the Lelantine Warns and introduced pederasty to the area

PAMMENES — general who was supposed to assume leadership after Epaminondas

THERON — warrior from Thessaly

HARMODIUS — credited with bringing about Athenian democracy with Aristogiton

ARISTOGITON — credited with bringing about Athenian democracy with Harmodius

PELOPIDAS — general of the elite Sacred Band of Thebes

EPAMINONDAS — Theban general and commander of the Boeotian army credited with ending Sparta’s dominance  Lover of Asophichus.

GORGIDAS — established the Sacred Band of Thebes selecting male couples within the Theban army

MELEAGER — infantry commander under Alexander

HEPHAESTION — top general and lover of Alexander

 LIANE DE POUGY, Parisian courtesan and nun, born (d: 1950); On her first trip to Paris as a young woman, Natalie Barney walked the fashionable streets of the city studying women while her mother was at a studio studying portrait painting. One day she saw an exquisite woman in the Bois de Boulogne, and, making inquiry, learned that the fur-cloaked beauty was Liane de Pougy, the most famous courtesan in Paris. What she learned as well, was that Liane was a Lesbian just like herself, yet sold herself to men, and at a very high price. Natalie Barney resolved on the spot that she would rescue Liane de Pougy from her “dreadful life” and make her her own. She even when to the courtesan’s house, but was turned away by the maid who informed her that Madame never rose before eleven.

Just then Natalie received the news that her father wanted her to return to America, where she was to make her debut. Undaunted, she swore that she would return someday to Paris and take Liane de Pougy, whom she had only once glimpsed, as her lover. And she did. De Pougy’s affair with Barney is recorded in her novel Idylle Saphique, published around 1901. In 1899, Barney presented herself at de Pougy's residence in a page costume and announced that she was a "page of love" sent by Sappho. Although de Pougy was one of the most famous women in France at the time, constantly sought after by wealthy and titled men, Barney's audacity charmed and seduced her. The two were said to have had deep feelings for one another for the remainder of their lives.

Upon her marriage to Prince Georges Ghika in 1920 de Pougy became Princess Ghika; this marriage ended in separation, though not divorce. Her son's death as an aviator in WWI turned her towards religion and she became a tertiary of the Order of Saint Dominic as Sister Anne-Mary. After a life as the most celebrated courtesan of la belle époque, serving both men and women, Liane de Pougy retired to a convent as Saint Mary Magdalene of Repentence. She became involved in the Asylum of Saint Agnes, devoted to the care of children with birth defects. She died at Lausanne