Alexandrian Pleiad

The Alexandrian Pleiad is the name given to a group of seven Alexandrian poets and tragedians in the 3rd century B.C. (Alexandria was at that time the literary century of the Mediterranean) working in the court of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. The name derives from the seven stars of the Pleiades star cluster.

Related Topics:
Alexandria - Ptolemy II Philadelphus - Pleiades - Star cluster

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There are several conflicting lists of the members of this "Alexandrian Pleiad", some with tragic poets, other which include lyric or epic poets. The following members are usually always included:

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• Homerus the younger, son of Andromachus, from Byzantium, a tragedian who wrote 57 plays
• Philicus
• Lycophron
• Alexander Aetolus, tragic poet
• Sositheus of Alexandria, dramatist

The other members are variously:

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• Theocritus, who wrote the bucolic poems
• Aratus, who wrote the Phaenomena and other poems
• Nicander
• Apollonius, who wrote the Argonautica
• Sosiphanes of Syracuse, tragic poet
 
Alexandrian Pleiad: See also ►