Poemas

Casia (c. 810-c. 867) was a prominent medieval Greek poet and the first composer whose musical scores have survived. A woman of strong personality, she participated in a beauty contest to choose the new empress but was rejected when she spoke out in public, leading her to found her own convent.

From this foundation, Casia continued to engage actively in politics through her literature, leaving behind approximately 1,300 verses, including liturgical hymns and secular epigrams. Half of these hymns are dedicated to female saints or festivals of the Virgin Mary, celebrating women's roles without parallel. Her prose pieces advocate for social justice and reader education, revealing an author who was perceptive, critical of her surroundings, and frustrated by the lack of freedom for women.

Despite the apparent simplicity and naturalness of her style, Casia's work is notable for its formal purity and subjective vision of reality, earning her a place as the Byzantine Safo. Her poetry offers a unique perspective on the world, shaped by her experiences and convictions.