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The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies

Terpander of Lesbos

Also known as: Terpandros

Born: early seventh century bce; Antissa, Lesbos

Died: late seventh century bce; perhaps Sparta

Related civilization: Archaic Greece

Major role/position: Musician, poet

Life: Modern scholars discount many of the more picturesque details that ancient authors present concerning Terpander of Lesbos (tur-PAN-dur of LEHZbohs), such as that he was forced to flee his homeland because of homicide and that he eventually died from choking on a fig. Fairly uncontroversial, though, is that he acquired fame as a musical performer in Lesbos and that he subsequently went to Sparta, where he won various musical competitions.

Terpander’s career also had a literary dimension. In his time, music and poetry were closely associated, and various ancient sources refer to his performing both his own poems and those of Homer. Contrary to the famously spartan Sparta of the fifth century bce and later, the Sparta of Terpander’s era was a cultural powerhouse, especially in the field of poetry. Terpander’s migration to Sparta and success while there attested to and bolstered Sparta’s standing as a cultural hotspot.

Influence: Terpander played a formative role in early Greek lyric poetry. According to Strabo, he developed the seven-stringed lyre.

See also: Greece, Archaic; Homer; Performing arts.

—Edwin D. Floyd

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"Terpander Of Lesbos." The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, edited by Shally-Jensen Michael, Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_1569.
APA 7th
Terpander of Lesbos. The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, In S. Michael (Ed.), Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_1569.
CMOS 17th
"Terpander Of Lesbos." The Ancient World: Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Societies, Edited by Shally-Jensen Michael. Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CWEP_1569.