Anaxilas the Comic Poet (Ἀναξίλας ὁ κωμικός, ὁ Ῥηγῖνος) was a poet of Middle Comedy active in Athens during the 4th century BCE. A native of Rhegium in southern Italy, he was also called an Athenian, possibly indicating granted citizenship [1]. He won first prize at the Lenaea festival, with his floruit placed around 350 BCE [1][2].

Titles for approximately 34 comedies are known, including Calypso, Circe, The Treasure, and The Harp-Girl [1][2]. All works are lost except for about 42 fragments preserved by later authors like Athenaeus [1][2].

Anaxilas is a key figure of transitional Middle Comedy, illustrating the genre's shift from political satire to mythological parody and social themes involving domestic types, which prefigured New Comedy [1][2]. The fragments provide valuable evidence for the evolution of Athenian comic theater.

Sources 1. Perseus Digital Library, Anaxilas Entry: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Danaxilas-bio-1 2. ToposText, Anaxilas of Rhegium: https://topostext.org/people/1560