Alexis

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For other uses, see Alexis (disambiguation).

Alexis (c. 375 BC – c. 275 BC) was a Greek comic poet of the Middle Comedy, born at Thurii and taken early to Athens, where he became a citizen.

He won his first Lenaean victory in the 350s BC, most likely, where he was sixth after Eubulus, and fourth after Antiphanes.

Plutarch says that he lived to the age of 106, and that he died on the stage while being crowned. According to the Suda, he wrote 245 comedies, of which some 130 titles are preserved. Only fragments of any of the plays have survived - about 340 in all, totaling about 1,000 lines. They attest to the wit and refinement of the author (see Theodor Kock, Comicorum Atticorum Fragmenta).

The Suda also calls him Zoe's uncle, but an anonymous tractate on comedy more plausibly states that Menander was his pupil. Alexis was known in Roman times; Aulus Gellius noted that Alexis' poetry were used by Roman comedians, including Turpilius and possibly Plautus. The name also means helper of mankind.