Sotades of Maroneia (Σωτάδης ὁ Μαρωνεὺς), often called Pseudo-Sotades, was an iambic poet of the early 3rd century BCE. A native of Thrace, he was notorious for obscene and invective poetry during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. His mockery of the king’s marriage to his sister Arsinoe II led to his execution, with ancient accounts claiming he was imprisoned in a leaden chest and drowned [1][2]. The epithet “Ψευδής” (the liar or forger) may reflect later confusion with other poets [1].

No complete works survive, only fragments. Sotades is credited with perfecting the catalectic ionic dimeter named after him, the Sotadean meter, which became associated with scurrilous and satirical verse [1][2].

His significance lies in formalizing the Sotadean meter, adopted by later poets for subversive content. He represents the dangerous continuation of archaic iambic invective within the Hellenistic autocracies, and his fatal defiance made him a symbol of the risks of free speech. His name defined a genre of obscene poetry (Sotadea) [1][2].

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: Sotades: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-6029 2. Perseus Digital Library, Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Sotades: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Dsotades-bio-1