Crates was an Athenian comic playwright active in the 5th century BCE, during the period known as Old Comedy. Ancient sources report that he began his career as an actor in the plays of the poet Cratinus before writing his own comedies. He won his first victory at the City Dionysia festival, likely in the 450s BCE, and was a slightly older contemporary of the more famous Aristophanes.

He is historically significant for a key innovation noted by ancient critics. According to the philosopher Aristotle, Crates was the first Athenian comic poet to move away from the "iambic mode," which primarily featured personal insult and satire. Instead, he began crafting comedies with more generalized, plot-driven stories and situational humor. This shift is seen by modern scholars as an important step in the evolution of comic theater, paving the way for more structured narratives. His style was remembered as being more genial and inventive than the harsh satire of some predecessors.

None of Crates's plays survive intact. We know of them only through fragments and titles mentioned in later sources. Known play titles include Animals, Neighbors, Lamia, and Samians. While the exact number is uncertain, ancient records attribute between four and eight comedies to him.