Who were the neoterici poets in late Republican Rome?

The neoterici (or neoteroi, meaning "new poets") were a group of poets in late Republican Rome who sought to break away from the traditional, didactic-patriotic style of Latin poetry associated with Ennius.12

Instead, they consciously emulated the forms and content of 3rd-century Alexandrian Greek models, favoring meticulous, refined, and sophisticated works such as epyllia (brief epics), lyrics, epigrams, and elegies. By prioritizing self-expression and entertainment, they introduced the aesthetic of "art for art’s sake" into Latin literature.13

Key figures and characteristics include:
* Origins: The movement was largely non-Roman, centered on the Milanese poet-teacher Publius Valerius Cato, with many adherents hailing from northern Italy.13
* Catullus: The most prominent member, Catullus, is the only poet of the group known through his surviving work.13
* Other Members: The group included Gaius Helvius Cinna, known for his epyllion Zmyrna, and Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus.12
* Reception: The term neoteroi was used by Cicero, who criticized the group for their departure from traditional Roman values.12