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

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...

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Main Author: Edmund, Stewart
Format: Article
Published: Cambridge University Press 2017
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50695/
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author Edmund, Stewart
author_facet Edmund, Stewart
author_sort Edmund, Stewart
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description 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.
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spelling nottingham-506952020-05-04T18:45:59Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50695/ Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta Edmund, Stewart 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. Cambridge University Press 2017-05-18 Article PeerReviewed Edmund, Stewart (2017) Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta. Classical Quarterly . ISSN 1471-6844 (In Press)
spellingShingle Edmund, Stewart
Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title_full Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title_fullStr Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title_full_unstemmed Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title_short Ion of Chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical Sparta
title_sort ion of chios: the case of a foreign poet in classical sparta
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50695/