Tyrtaeus was a Greek elegiac poet from Sparta who composed verse during the mid-to-late 7th century BCE, specifically the period of the Second Messenian War [1][2]. While ancient sources conflict on his origins, the dominant tradition identifies him as a Spartan [1][2]. His poetry served a direct civic and military purpose, exhorting Spartan citizen-soldiers during a time of crisis and reinforcing the martial values of the developing Spartan state [1][2][3].

His surviving work consists of fragments preserved by later authors. Two major works are identified: the political elegy Eunomia ("Good Order"), which addressed civic harmony and the Spartan constitution, and a body of exhortatory elegies urging bravery, discipline, and self-sacrifice in battle [1][2][3].

Tyrtaeus is a foundational figure for both Greek elegiac poetry and Spartan ideology. His state-commissioned verse provided a powerful framework for the Spartan way of life, equating excellence with courage in the hoplite phalanx [1][2]. His poems were used to inspire troops and educate Spartan youth, offering crucial evidence for the values of early Sparta during its rise to dominance [1][2][3].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/tyrtaeus/ 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-6597 3. World History Encyclopedia: https://www.worldhistory.org/Tyrtaeus/