Il Capitano (Italian: [il kapiˈtaːno]; lit. 'the Captain') is one of the four stock characters of commedia dell'arte. He most probably was never a "Captain", but rather appropriated the name for himself.

Its genesis dates back to the Pyrgopolinices of Titus Maccio Plautus' Miles gloriosus and to Terence's Thrason of the Eunuch. He was reborn in various forms in the Italian theater of the Renaissance. He usually personified the vainglorious soldier. He could boast of titles he did not possess or of feats he had never accomplished. In the most negative versions he actually poorly concealed the terror of having to face a battle or a duel. However, the Captains could also have positive characteristics, as dreamers with noble feelings.

A example of a captain portrayed in a more positive way is Francesco Andreini's Captain Spaventa, capable of noble feelings, almost a dreamer. Another captain, portrayed as a laughing stock pitted against the Moors, is Captain Matamoros by Silvio Fiorillo; he had the clothing of the Spanish soldiers of the time, enriched however with trinkets and ribbons and very colourful, and with purely Iberian diction and ways of saying. Several other types of Capitano exist. Inspired by the mask are numerous other variants such as Capitan Giangurgolo, Capitan Corazza, Capitan Cardone, Rinoceronte, Terremoto, Spezzaferro, Spaccamonti, Capitan Rodomonte. Numerous derivations of the mask adopted from the Neapolitan carnival or more generally from literature, such as Captain Fracassa, can also be traced back to the captain.

Il Capitano often talks at length about made-up conquests of both the militaristic and the carnal variety to impress others, but often ends up impressing only himself. He gets easily carried away in his tales and doesn't realize when those around him don't buy his act. He would be the first to run away from all battles, and he has trouble talking to and being around men. He is also extremely opportunistic and greedy. If hired by Pantalone to protect his daughter from her many suitors, il Capitano would set up a bidding war for his services or aid between the suitors and Pantalone while wooing her himself. If he is hired to fight the Turks, he will bluster about fighting them to his last drop of blood, but when the Turks seem to be winning, he will join them. He will change sides again when they are driven off and boast about his loyalty and bravery.

"I think of him as a peacock who has moulted all but one of his tail feathers, but does not know it", notes author John Rudlin.^{[page needed]} In this case, his cowardice is usually overcome by the fury of his passion, which he makes every effort to demonstrate. Typically, however, his cowardice is such that when one of the characters orders him to do something, he often steps down out of fear, but is able to make up an excuse that ensures the other characters still see him as a brave and fierce individual. Columbine sometimes uses him to make Harlequin (Arlecchino) jealous, much to il Capitano's bewilderment and fright.

The origin of il Capitano comes from 2 literary sources: Plautus's miles gloriosus and Terence's Eunuchus. The first famous Capitano, Capitan Spaventa, appeared in Francesco Andreini's Bravure di Capitan Spaventa ('The Boast of the Terrifying Captain').

He stands in a high posture, occupying as much space as possible, with a straight back and his chest pushed forward.

To be exposed or 'de-masked'. He exists to be stripped of his excessive confidence and shown in a moment of panic and humility.^{[page needed]}