Life Callinus of Ephesus (Καλλῖνος ὁ Ἐφέσιος) was an ancient Greek poet from Ephesus in Ionia, active in the mid-7th century BCE [1]. His career coincided with the Cimmerian invasions of Asia Minor, a period of crisis which directly informs his surviving poetry [1][2]. No further biographical details are recorded.

Works Only fragments of his elegiac poetry survive, preserved by later authors like Strabo and Stobaeus [1][2]. His most notable extant fragment is a martial exhortation, urging his fellow Ephesians to courageous defense against their enemies.

Significance Callinus is a foundational figure in Greek literary history as one of the earliest known composers of elegiac poetry. Along with Tyrtaeus, he established the elegy as a medium for martial exhortation (parainesis) [1][2]. His work provides a contemporary poetic response to historical crisis and represents an important early stage in the elegiac tradition later developed by poets like Mimnermus [1].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Callinus 2. Perseus Digital Library, entry for Callinus in Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Dcallinus-bio-1