His family came from Marseilles. He studied law in Bologna and then Italian and Latin literature in Padua. He was initiated into Carbonitarianism. In 1820 he returned to Zakynthos and was initiated into the Society of Friends. He was sent to the Peloponnese to organize the Struggle. But his health was precarious and he returned to rest. He meets Markos Botsaris and Dionysios Solomos and is linked by friendship with them. In the period of Kapodistrias 1827, he fought in West. During the 18th century, during the period of 1864, he was in the West Roumeli.

He taught history and French as a teacher. He also taught Military History at the Military School of Nafplio. He writes poems in demotic language. Becomes a judge under Otto and takes part in the trial of Kolokotronis, Nafplio 1833, Refuses to sign with Polyzoidis the condemnation of the “Old Man of Moria”.

He leaves in disgust for Paris where he is linked to the Philhellene Floriel. In 1844 he returned to Greece and became archivist of the Library of the Parliament. In 1861 he represented Otto in Italy and later the Greek government in Europe for the Cretan Revolution. In 1864 he was elected representative of Zakynthos in the Parliament.

Tercetis left a valuable literary work, historical, poetic, prose writings, memoirs of Kolokotronis and Nikitaras, etc.