Philemon was a Greek comic poet of the New Comedy period, born in Syracuse in the late 4th century BCE. He was active in Athens as a contemporary and rival of Menander and later worked in Alexandria under Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Ancient anecdotes record his theatrical rivalry with Menander, noting he sometimes defeated him in competitions, and he is said to have lived nearly 100 years.

Although 97 titles are attributed to him, only fragments of his works survive. Among his known plays are The Treasure, The Ghost, and The Brothers. Philemon was one of the most successful comic poets of his era, winning numerous victories at Athenian festivals and enjoying greater popularity than Menander during his lifetime. His plays were later adapted into Latin by Plautus and Caecilius Statius, transmitting key elements of Greek New Comedy to Roman and later European traditions.