Cyril of Scythopolis was a Christian monk and writer of the sixth century CE. He was born in the city of Scythopolis, in Roman Palestine. After dedicating his youth to a local church, he became a monk in the Judean Desert, joining the monastery of St. Euthymius and later the community of St. Sabas. He lived during a period of intense religious debate following the Council of Chalcedon, and he was a staunch supporter of its doctrinal position.

Cyril is known for a collection of eight prose biographies, collectively known as the Lives of the Monks of Palestine. These works detail the lives of major monastic founders and holy men from the Judean desert, such as Euthymius, Sabas, and John the Hesychast. One work also narrates miracles associated with the Virgin Mary at a specific monastery. All eight of his writings survive in full.

Modern scholars regard Cyril as a historian of paramount importance for the study of early monasticism. According to academic analysis, his biographies are noted for their historical detail, chronological care, and use of sources, providing a crucial eyewitness account of monastic life, spiritual practice, and theological conflicts. His works served as foundational texts for later Byzantine writers and remain a primary source for understanding the social, ecclesiastical, and imperial history of the sixth-century Eastern Roman Empire.