solomos

Solomos is a Greek surname. The most prominent bearer is Dionysios Solomos (1798–1857), often regarded as the national poet of modern Greece. He was born in Zakynthos, one of the Ionian Islands, at the time under Venetian rule, and he became a central figure in the Ionian School, which helped shape modern Greek literary language. Solomos wrote in a Romantic and classical style, producing numerous lyric and descriptive poems.

His best-known work is Hymn to Liberty (Ύμνος Εις την Ελευθερίαν), written in 1823 during the Greek War of Independence. The poem celebrates Greek national awakening and freedom from Ottoman rule; it later served as the basis for the Greek national anthem, with the music composed by Nikolaos Mantzaros and the first two stanzas typically sung as the anthem.

Solomos’s poetry contributed to the formation of modern Greek literary language, moving away from archaisms and incorporating contemporary vernacular forms. His body of work influenced later Greek poets and remains central in studies of Greek Romanticism and national identity.

The name Solomos today appears as a Greek surname and is associated with cultural and scholarly references to the poet. In Greece, several streets and public squares are named after him, reflecting his national significance. Other individuals with the surname Solomos are less widely known internationally.