Cleonides () is the author of a Greek treatise on music theory titled Εἰσαγωγὴ ἁρμονική ''Eisagōgē harmonikē'' (Introduction to Harmonics). The date of the treatise, based on internal evidence, can be established only to the broad period between the 3rd century BCE and the 4th century CE; however, treatises titled ''eisagōgē'' generally began to appear only in the 1st century BCE, which seems the most likely period for Cleonides' work.Jon Solomon, "Cleonides leoneidēs, ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by

Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was a British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was published as the first edition ...

and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001). The attribution of the ''Eisagōgē'' in some manuscripts to

Euclid Euclid (; ; BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the '' Elements'' treatise, which established the foundations of geometry that largely domina ...

or Pappus is incompatible with the Aristoxenian approach adopted in the treatise. A few manuscripts name a "Zosimus" as the author. Cleonides' treatise is the clearest account of the technical aspects of

Aristoxenus Aristoxenus of Tarentum (; born 375, fl. 335 BC) was a Ancient Greece, Greek Peripatetic school, Peripatetic philosopher, and a pupil of Aristotle. Most of his writings, which dealt with philosophy, ethics and music, have been lost, but one musi ...

's musical theory. Thomas J. Mathiesen, ''Apollo's Lyre: Greek Music and Music Theory in Antiquity and the Middle Ages'' (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press), page. 366.

References

External links

English translation of the treatise
by O.Strunk, at ''attalus.org'' {{Authority control Ancient Greek music theorists