Which public figures did Aristophanes satirize in his plays?

Aristophanes, the preeminent figure of Old Comedy, utilized his plays to deliver bold, often merciless satire against various prominent public figures and intellectuals in 5th-century BCE Athens. His work was characterized by a marked freedom of political criticism, allowing him to lampoon individuals by name.123

Key figures satirized by Aristophanes include:

• Cleon: A powerful Athenian demagogue whom Aristophanes attacked repeatedly, most notably in the play Knights, where he is depicted as a scoundrelly slave.243
• Socrates: The philosopher was a primary target in Clouds, where he was unfairly portrayed as a radical Sophist who taught students how to make wrong arguments sound right.523
• Euripides: The tragedian was frequently mocked for his literary style and iconoclastic views. He appears as a target in plays such as Women at the Thesmophoria and Frogs, the latter of which features a parodic poetic competition between him and Aeschylus.263