Apollodorus of Gela (Ἀπολλόδωρος ὁ Γελῷος) was a Greek comic poet of the 4th century BCE, a native of the Sicilian colony of Gela [1]. He is distinguished from later namesakes like Apollodorus of Carystus. The Suda records him as a contemporary of Menander, placing his floruit in the late 4th century BCE [1][2].

Only two play titles are definitively attributed to him: Hekatontapylitai ("The Men of Hekatompylos") and Philadelphoi ("The Brother-Loving Men") [1][2]. Both works are lost, surviving only as titles within the fragmentary record.

Apollodorus represents the transition between Middle and New Comedy. His contemporaneity with Menander positions him at the inception of New Comedy, which emphasized domestic plots and stock characters [1]. His historical significance lies in this placement within the evolution of Athenian comic drama.

Sources 1. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=apollodorus-bio-1 2. ToposText: https://topostext.org/people/1120