Telesilla of Argos, the Greek Lyric Poet who Defended Argos

Video

by Kelly Macquire
published on 05 May 2021

Telesilla was a Greek lyric poet who lived in Argos in the fifth century BCE. Along with the famous poet Sappho, Telesilla was named as one of the Nine Female Lyric Poets of Greece, and is known for both her lyric poetry (even though only two lines survive) and for her courage as the defender of Argos against Sparta.

According to Plutarch, when Telesilla learnt that the Argive army was killed by Cleomenes I, King of Sparta, she got the women, youth, and elders of Argos to rise up in defence. According to one account, the women, directed by Telesilla, resolved to hold their city, manning the walls and hurling whatever they could at the Spartans, and drove Cleomenes back with fewer men than he started with! According to Pausanias, Cleomenes had three options; 1- to attack the city and be defeated by women, which would be the greatest disgrace, 2- to attack and defeat the women, which would be a dishonourable victory or 3- to leave and save his honour. Frustrated, Cleomenes chose the third option and withdrew his forces. Regardless of which story is true, Telesilla is remembered as both a talented artist and defender of Argos.

— ATTRIBUTIONS —
You can find all attribution and credits for images, animations, graphics and music here - https://worldhistory.typehut.com/women-in-history-the-female-greek-lyric-poet-telesilla-of-argos-images-and-attributions-4573

The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
https://www.ancientlyre.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A

— THUMBNAIL IMAGE —
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Fagan_-_The_Muses,_Urania,_Erato_and_Calliope.jpg
Robert Fagan
Art UK
Public Domain

About the Author

Kelly Macquire

Kelly is a graduate from Monash University who has completed her BA (Honours) in Ancient History and Archaeology, focussing on iconography and status in Pylos burials. She has a passion for mythology and the Aegean Bronze Age.

Related Content

Filters:

All 

Definitions55

Articles25

Images9

Videos1

Collections4

Teaching Materials5

Definition

Sparta

Sparta was one of the most important city-states in ancient Greece...

Definition

Telesilla of Argos

Telesilla of Argos was a lyric poet of the 5th century BCE, listed...

Definition

Ancient Argos

Ancient Argos, located in the Peloponnese in Greece, was a major...

Article

Ten Noble and Notorious Women of Ancient Greece

Women in ancient Greece, outside of Sparta, had almost no rights...

Definition

Pausanias (General)

Pausanias (c. 510 - c. 465 BCE) was a Spartan regent and general...

Definition

Plutarch

L. Mestrius Plutarchus, better known simply as Plutarch, was a...