(Ἄλεξις).
1. A comic poet, born at Thurii, in Magna Graecia (Suidas s. v. Ἄλ.), but admitted subsequently to the privileges of an
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Athenian citizen, and enrolled in the deme Οἶον, belonging to the tribe Leontis. (Steph. Byz. s. v.) He was the uncle and instructor of Menander. (Suidas s. v. Ἄλεξις; Proleg. Aristoph. p. xxx.) When he was born we are not expressly told, but he lived to the age of 106 (Plut. Defect. Orac. p. 420e.), and was living at least as late as B. C. 288. Now the town of Thurii was destroyed by the Lucanians about B. C. 390. It is therefore not at all unlikely that the parents of Alexis, in order to escape from the threatened destruction of their city, removed shortly before with their little son to Athens. Perhaps therefore we may assign about B. C. 394 as the date of the birth of Alexis. He had a son Stephanus, who also wrote comedies. (Suidas l.c.) He appears to have been rather addicted to the pleasures of the table. (Athen. 8.344.) According to Plutarch (De Senis Administ. Reipubl. p. 785b.), he expired upon the stage while being crowned as victor.