Barbiton

The barbitos or barbiton is an ancient Greek stringed instrument that belongs to the lyres and was used by poets like Alcaeus, Sappho and Anacreon to accompany their songs.

He also served as the musical accompaniment of actors and plays, and was mainly played here in the area around the Greek god Dionysus, for example, of the mythological figures of satyrs. See also: satyr

Not much is known about the structure. He usually had seven strings and thus a greater number of these than have the cithara or the lyre, which are closely related to the barbitos. Its heyday was in the 6th century BC characteristic of the barbitos are especially his long, striving toward each other above the yoke arms.