Polygnota of Thebes

Polygnota of Thebes (fl. 86 BCE) was a professional harpist in ancient Greece. She is known from an inscription which commemorates her being granted the diplomatic privileges of proxeny in return for her performance at the Pythian Games in Delphi.

Polygnota's profession, khoropsaltriai, is only recorded of second- and first-century BCE women and indicates that she played a harp while a chorus danced. She came from a well-respected family in Thebes. In 86, she travelled to Delphi with her cousin Lycides, intending to play the harp for those celebrating the Pythian Games. Although the Games were cancelled because of the First Mithridatic War, she performed for the citizens for three days. She was rewarded with five hundred drachmas in gold and the civil and ritual privileges of the proxeny, including dining at the prytaneion. The award was recorded on the pillar of Eumenes II in Delphi.