Bacchylides of Ceos was a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BCE. He was the nephew of the poet Simonides and a contemporary and rival of Pindar. Active at the court of the Syracusan tyrant Hieron I, he composed for public festivals and athletic victors, relying on aristocratic and civic patronage. Evidence suggests a period of exile in the Peloponnese, possibly following political change.

His works, largely lost after antiquity, were rediscovered on Egyptian papyri in the late 19th century. The surviving corpus consists primarily of epinician odes, or victory odes, and dithyrambs, which are choral hymns to Dionysus. His poetry is characterized by clear narrative and vivid imagery.

Bacchylides is a major figure among the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece. His rediscovery provides a crucial counterpoint to Pindar, illuminating their shared patronage context and differing styles. His poetry offers valuable insights into the social, religious, and political values of the early Classical period.