The author of the Hellenistic epic poem Thebaïs is anonymous, with no biographical details known. The work is dated securely to the 3rd century BCE, placing it within the vibrant literary culture of the Hellenistic period. The poem is sometimes mistakenly attributed to the earlier poet Antimachus of Colophon, but modern scholars confirm it is a separate, later composition by an unknown writer.

The work is a lost epic poem, also titled Thebaïs, which recounted the myth of the Seven against Thebes. It was a substantial work, known to have been at least 11 books long. It survives only in fragments, with roughly 45 lines of verse and various references in other ancient texts remaining today.

The poem’s significance lies in its role as a later link in the long tradition of Theban epic poetry. It demonstrates how Hellenistic poets continued to engage with and reinterpret archaic mythological material. Scholars study its fragments to understand how epic conventions evolved and how this foundational Greek myth was adapted in a later era. Its existence confirms the enduring artistic importance of the Theban saga, though its fragmentary state limits our full understanding of its content and influence.