What are concubines?

The term comes from the Latin prefix com-, which means "with," and cubara, "to lie down." Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans had concubines, and concubinage also appears in the Christian Bible. These lesser wives were also widely found in Asia and the Middle East, and concubinal relationships can still be found in some of these regions, although they may be restricted by law.

Generally, only men of high social status have concubines. Additional wives require more wealth, especially since a well-outfitted concubine elevates a man's social status, while an obviously neglected concubine would reflect poorly upon him. Many concubines in Ancient China, for example, had their own homes along with numerous valuable possessions including elegant clothing and jewelry. Although these women did not enjoy the high status of the first wife of the household, they were still figures of respect, and major life events like childbirth and death were celebrated with lavish ceremonies.

Typically, the children of a concubine are recognized as official offspring of the concubine's partner, although they may not have access to the same privileges as the children of the first wife. The female children of concubines could be given in marriage to high ranking members of society to forge allegiances, or they could be kept around the family compound to serve the higher status wives and children. Male children might be encouraged to become civil servants or to take up positions as merchants. Like their mothers, these children would traditionally have been well cared for, since they were dependents of the head of the household.