Publius Terentius Afer (; c. 195/185 – c. 159? BC), better known in
English as
Terence , was a
playwright of the
Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman
senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on, impressed by his abilities,
freed him. Terence apparently died young, probably in
Greece or on his way back to
Rome. All of the six plays Terence wrote have survived.