A kitharode (Latinized citharode) ( ; ) was a professional performer in Classical antiquity who sang and played cithara to accompany their singing. A citharist was a performer who only played, and did not sing. Famous Greek citharodes included Terpander, Sappho, and Arion.

Citharodes remained common from classical Greece into the Roman imperial period and throughout antiquity; Roman emperor Nero was famously a citharode himself. In his day, a citharode sang a tragic monologue in full theatrical costume, including a mask.

"Citharoedus" or "Citharede" was also an epithet of Apollo (Apollo Citharede), and the term is used to refer to statues which portray Apollo with his lyre.

See also

1. Relevant musical instruments

   Related type of statuary

2. Apollo Citharoedus

Footnotes

References