Sosicrates the Comic Poet (Σωσικράτης ὁ Κωμικός) was a Hellenistic comic poet active in the 3rd century BCE. He is known only from fragments and later testimonia, and is a distinct figure from the historical writer Sosicrates of Rhodes [2]. The 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia, the Suda, records him as a comic poet but offers no biographical details [3].

Two comedies by Sosicrates are attested: Φιλοδέσποτος (Philodespotos, "The Master-Lover") and Φιλόπατρις (Philopatris, "The Patriot") [1][2]. Both are lost, surviving only in fragments. Athenaeus quotes a single line from the Philodespotos mentioning a cake called kribanites, and also cites a fragment from the Philopatris [1][2].

Sosicrates represents the sparsely documented period of comedy following New Comedy. His scant fragments are valuable for the study of Hellenistic comic theater, and his play titles suggest engagement with themes of social relationships and civic identity [1][2].

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-6003 2. Perseus Digital Library, Greek Anthology: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0471 3. Suda On Line, entry for Sosicrates: https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/sigma/845