11 Facts About Alcman

Alcman is the earliest representative of the Alexandrian canon of the Nine Lyric Poets.

Alcman's dates are uncertain, but he was probably active in the late seventh century BC.

One tradition, going back to Aristotle, holds that Alcman came to Sparta as a slave to the family of Agesidas, by whom he was eventually emancipated because of his great skill.

Pausanias says that even though Alcman used the Doric dialect, which does not usually sound beautiful, it did not at all spoil the beauty of his songs.

Alcman's songs were composed in the Doric dialect of Sparta .

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Type of songs Alcman composed most frequently appear to be hymns, partheneia, and prooimia .

Choral lyrics of Alcman were meant to be performed within the social, political, and religious context of Sparta.

Alcman could have composed songs for Spartan boys as well.

Alcman says that songs of Alcman were performed during the Gymnopaedia festival :.

Regardless of the topic, Alcman's poetry has a clear, light, pleasant tone which ancient commentators have remarked upon.

Alcman describes the yellow color of a woman's hair and the golden chain she wears about her neck; the purple petals of a Kalchas blossom and the purple depths of the sea; the "bright shining" color of the windflower and the multi-colored feathers of a bird as it chews green buds from the vines.