Ancient Greek courtesan Phryne before the Areopagus. Jean Leon Gerome, 1861. Credit: Public Domain Phryne the Thespian was a notable ancient Greek hetaira, or courtesan, of Athens, who is remembered throughout the millennia for her dramatic trial which she won by baring her naked body. Her real name name was Mnesarete, but people referred to her as Phryne (“toad”) because of the yellow undertone of her skin.