Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta

Edmund, Stewart

Abstract

This paper aims to reassess one piece of evidence for the performance of music and poetry in classical Sparta: an elegy by the Chian poet Ion (fr. 27 West). It is argued here that this poem evokes the atmosphere of a Spartan festival and, specifically, a symposium held as part of that festival. Ion was present in Sparta not merely as a friend of prominent Athenians, as is often claimed, but as a professional travelling poet. This suggests that Sparta remained an important centre for μουσική in the classical period and, moreover, was part of a broader Panhellenic network of festivals and contests.

Citation

Edmund, S. (2018). Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta. Classical Quarterly, 68(2), 394-407. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838819000016

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 18, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Feb 21, 2019
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Deposit Date: Mar 27, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 31, 2018
• Journal: Classical Quarterly
• Print ISSN: 0009-8388
• Electronic ISSN: 1471-6844
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 68
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 394-407
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838819000016
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/860904
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/classical-quarterly/article/ion-of-chios-the-case-of-a-foreign-poet-in-classical-sparta/9C91917609D6F3511BE626CF76552FE4