Timocreon of Rhodes (Τιμοκρέων ὁ Ῥόδιος)

Life Timocreon of Rhodes was a 5th-century BCE Greek lyric poet and athlete from Ialysus on Rhodes [1]. A contemporary of the Persian Wars, his life was defined by political conflict, most notably his bitter feud with the Athenian statesman Themistocles. Ancient sources, including Plutarch, report that Timocreon was exiled from Rhodes for medizing (siding with the Persians) and that Themistocles later blocked his return, a grievance that fueled his poetry [1][2]. He was also a victorious pancratium athlete at the Isthmian Games [1].

Works His work survives only in fragments, primarily scolia (drinking songs) and invective poems. Approximately ten fragments remain, preserved by authors like Plutarch and Athenaeus. The most famous is a scolia launching a vitriolic personal attack on Themistocles for corruption and his role in Timocreon’s exile [1][2][3].

Significance Timocreon is a significant figure for his use of lyric poetry, particularly the scolia, for sharp political and personal invective. His fragments offer a highly partisan but valuable contemporary perspective on the political rivalries following the Persian Wars. He exemplifies the ideal of the “athlete-poet” and demonstrates how personal animosity could shape literary expression in classical Greece.

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Timocreon-of-Rhodes 2. Perseus Digital Library, Plutarch's Life of Themistocles: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0182:text=Them.:chapter=21:section=1 3. ToposText, Fragment of Timocreon: https://topostext.org/work/206#T1.1