What is a barbiton?

The barbiton, or barbitos, is an ancient stringed instrument related to the lyre used in ancient Greece and Rome.

The barbiton was rare and considered exotic in the Hellenic world, only popular in Anatolia and the eastern Aegean. Although in use in Asia Minor, Italy, Sicily, and Greece, it is evident that the barbiton was never appreciated by the ancient Greeks; it was regarded as a barbarian instrument affected by those only whose tastes in matters of art were unorthodox. It had fallen into disuse in the days of Aristotle, but reappeared under the Romans.

In spite of the few shreds of authentic information regarding the instrument, it is possible nevertheless to identify the barbiton as it was known among the Greeks and Romans. From the Greek writers we know that it was a deep toned instrument, with pitch range of at least two octaves, that had enough features in common with the lyra and kithara, to warrant their classification as a family of related instruments.