Aristophanes of Byzantium was a leading scholar of the Hellenistic period, active in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. He served as the head of the famous Library of Alexandria, where he was a central figure in the tradition of Alexandrian scholarship. His exact birthplace is uncertain; while he is called "of Byzantium," he may have been from Alexandria, with the name possibly referring to his family's origin.

His immense contribution lies in the systematic study and preservation of Greek literature. Although none of his own works survive complete, his influence is known through fragments and later references. He produced critical editions of major authors like Homer, Hesiod, and the tragic playwrights. He also compiled the Lexeis, a foundational lexicon explaining rare and difficult words from literary texts. Furthermore, he worked on authoritative catalogs of authors and their works.

According to modern scholars, his most lasting innovations were technical. He is credited with standardizing key tools for reading and editing texts, such as Greek accent marks and punctuation. He also developed a system of critical symbols to note problems in manuscripts. These methods established core practices of textual criticism that influenced his famous pupil, Aristarchus, and shaped the study of classical literature for centuries. His lexicographical work became a vital source for later dictionaries, securing his role as a pivotal architect of scholarly tradition.