Life Straton Comicus (Στράτων ὁ Κωμικός) was an Athenian comic poet of the Middle Comedy period, active in the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BCE. According to the 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia, the Suda, he originated from Olynthus and was a contemporary of the philosopher Epicurus and a friend of the comic poet Menander [1].

Works The Suda records that Straton wrote four comedies: Phoenicides, Medea (or Medeia), Callippides, and Troilus [1]. All are lost, surviving only in fragments cited by later authors such as Athenaeus. The Suda specifically notes his play Phoenicides was highly praised [1][2].

Significance Straton is a minor figure whose significance lies in his attestation as a comic poet during the transitional Middle Comedy period. His association with Menander places him within the literary circles of early Hellenistic Athens. The fragments of his work contribute to the sparse record of a genre for which no complete plays survive.

Sources 1. Suda, entry "Straton" (Suda On Line): https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/sigma/1185 2. Perseus Digital Library, search for "Straton Comicus" (Tufts University): https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/searchresults?q=Straton+Comicus