Life Theophilus was an Athenian comic poet active in the 4th century BCE during the period of Middle Comedy. The Suda, a 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia, records that he was the son of Theognetus [2]. No further biographical details are known.

Works According to the Suda, Theophilus wrote 24 dramas, but only two titles survive: The Pancratiast (ὁ Παγκρατιαστής) and Philonides (Φιλωνίδης) [1][2]. His works are lost except for fragments, and he is recorded as having won first prize at the City Dionysia at least once [1].

Significance Theophilus is a representative figure of Middle Comedy, the transitional phase between the political satire of Old Comedy and the social themes of New Comedy. His extant fragments contribute to the understanding of 4th-century Athenian theatrical conventions and language [1].

Sources 1. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=theophilus-bio-1 2. Suda Encyclopedia (via Suda On Line, hosted by University of Kentucky): https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/theta/148