Titus Maccius Plautus was a Roman playwright who lived in the third century BCE and is considered one of the greats of Roman comedy. He wrote over 130 plays during his lifetime, many of which have survived to the present day. Plautus' works were influential in shaping the course of Western literature and drama, and his name has become synonymous with the genre of Roman comedy. Other synonyms for Plautus include "the father of Roman comedy," "the master of farce," and "the king of low comedy." While Plautus' works may be over two thousand years old, their humor and wit still manages to entertain audiences today.