In ancient Greece, a society or association of companions or male friends bound by loyalty and social ties.
From Greek hetaeria, from hetairos (companion, comrade). Related to hetairai and hetairoi, terms for those bound in such associations or, in some contexts, courtesans.
Ancient Greek hetaeries were like social clubs with serious political clout—some historians argue they were proto-political parties that actually shaped the course of Greek city-states!
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