Phaedo of Elis
While some sex workers feel empowered, not all of them would go willingly. In ancient Greece, it was common for older men to sleep with younger men, but usually only if they were slaves or prostitutes. These young men were usually still very young, anywhere from age 12 to 20.
An attractive young man named Phaedo was born in the city of Elis to parents who were in the upper class. He was captured as a slave during a war between Athens and Sparta. He was taken to Athens, and he was pulled out from the crowd for his stunning appearance, and forced to become a male prostitute. He was passed around by many male scholars, and eventually met and got to know the famous philosopher Socrates. Phaedo begged him to help him get out of slavery, and he bought his freedom. They remained friends, and Phaedo even became a philosopher, himself. He even started his own school of philosophy, and became well-known for his own work.