What is nossis?

Nossis was a female Greek poet from the third century BCE, believed to have been born in the city of Locri in southern Italy. She was a writer of epigrams and other short poems, and was celebrated in antiquity for her wit and style. Her most famous work is a series of epigrams dedicated to her own beauty and accomplishments, which have been compared to the work of the later poet Sappho. Other topics of her poetry include love, friendship, and the beauty of the natural world. Though few of her poems survive today, Nossis was highly regarded in her own time and was later celebrated as an important figure in the history of ancient Greek poetry.