Antidotus the Comic Poet on Healing and Parasitism

Antidotus was a comic poet active in Athens during the 4th century BCE, a period of transition in Greek comedy. He is considered a figure of Middle Comedy, a style that moved away from the direct political satire of earlier Old Comedy toward more generalized social comedy and themes from daily life.

Almost nothing is known about his personal life, and his work survives only in fragments. According to the later writer Athenaeus, Antidotus wrote at least two comedies: Progone and Stratiotes. A few lines from each are preserved, often mentioning food and social types, which aligns with the characteristic interests of Middle Comedy.

Antidotus is one of many fragmentary comic poets. While not a major figure himself, writers like Antidotus allow the broader landscape of Athenian theatre to be pieced together. His surviving lines contribute to our understanding of how comedy evolved in the 4th century, highlighting its shift toward parodying character types and everyday social life.