Jonas Radvanas

Jonas Radvanas (Latin: Ioannes Radvanus; Polish: Jan Radwan, died after 1592) was a Renaissance poet and protestant reformer from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

He was well educated as demonstrated by his excellent knowledge of Roman authors – in his works he referenced Catullus, Virgil, Ovid, Propertius, Tibullus, Cicero, Statius, Silius Italicus, Claudian, Prudentius, and others.

This is further supported by Radvanas texts that promote values like piousness, loyalty, bravery that were more important to commoners (as opposed to nobility, family tradition, or honor).

[9] However, the poem goes beyond a simple panegyric and paints a broader patriotic image of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, its history, geography, and culture.

[5] The poem was first published in 1592 in Vilnius together with several other Latin works by Andreas Volanus, Pedro Ruiz de Moros [es], and others.

[1] In 1590, Radvanas published 565-line epithalamium for the wedding of Krzysztof Dorohostajski [pl] and Zofia, daughter of Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz.