Timarete

Timarete (Greek: Τιμαρέτη) is an Ancient Greek female name meaning "honouring virtue" or "excellence of honour," derived from the Greek elements τιμάω (timao) "to honour" and ἀρετή (arete) "virtue, excellence." The name is best known from Timarete of Athens, a 5th-century BC painter who is one of only six female artists of antiquity mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History.

Historical Notable Bearer

Timarete (also known as Thamyris, Tamaris, or Thamar) was the daughter of Micon the Younger, a renowned painter and sculptor of Athens. According to Pliny, she "scorned the duties of women and practised her father's art." She is said to have created a panel painting of the goddess Diana (Artemis) that was kept at Ephesus, a city closely associated with the goddess, for many years, though the work no longer survives. Living during the time of Archelaus I of Macedon (late 5th century BC), Timarete stood out in a male-dominated field and Pliny's account preserves her legacy as one of antiquity's few recorded female artists.

Cultural Significance

The name Timarete reflects Ancient Greek values of honour (timē) and excellence (aretē), virtues highly prized in both aristocratic and artistic contexts. Pliny's list of six female artists—including Irene, Calypso, Aristarete, Iaia, and Olympias—offers rare insight into women's contributions to classical visual arts. Their works, mostly described as panel paintings, perished over time, but their names survived through Pliny's Natural History, making Timarete a name associated with defiance of gender norms and artistic skill in the ancient world.

Related Names

The name is related onomastically to the Ancient Greek feminine name Arete, which means "virtue" directly, and to names beginning with the tima- root, such as Timothea and Timothy, meaning "honouring God."

• Meaning: "honouring virtue" or "excellence of honour"
• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Usage: Ancient Greece
• Gender: Female
• Notable Bearer: 5th-century BC painter Timarete of Athens