Bion of Phlossa near Smyrna was a Hellenistic Greek bucolic poet of the early 3rd century BCE, traditionally considered a follower of Theocritus. A native of Phlossa near Smyrna, he was later associated with a Locrian city and spent time in Sicily. The Suda lexicon places his floruit during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BCE) and records a tradition that he was poisoned by enemies.
His most famous and only substantially preserved work is the pastoral dirge Lament for Adonis. While some seventeen poems and about 100 fragments have been transmitted under his name, his authorship of most is disputed; only the Lament for Adonis is generally accepted.
Bion developed the Hellenistic bucolic tradition. His Lament for Adonis, with its themes of mourning and natural imagery, was influential on later pastoral poetry, including the works of Virgil. The tradition of his tragic death further solidified his posthumous reputation as a poet of sorrow.
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