The concubines were trained to entertain the king and his guests as musicians, dancers and singers. The harem of Darius III reportedly consisted of his mother, queen-wife, children, over 300 concubines and nearly 500 household servants.

What was the biggest harem in history?

The largest harems were improbably large. The 6th-century BCE King Tamba of Banaras (India) is rumored to have had a harem of 16,000. Kublai Khan, the 13th-century Mongol leader, had four queens and 7,000 concubines.

What was the purpose of harems?

Although usually associated in Western thought with Muslim practices, harems are known to have existed in the pre-Islamic civilizations of the Middle East; there the harem served as the secure, private quarters of women who nonetheless played various roles in public life.