Bartolomeo Pagano (Sant'Ilario Ligure, 27 September 1878 – Genoa, 24 June 1947) was an Italian actor, universally known for creating and portraying the character of Maciste. A dockworker in Genoa by trade, he was chosen by director Giovanni Pastrone for his imposing physique for the silent film epic *Cabiria* (1914). The character's immediate and extraordinary success led to a long series of films starring him, including *Maciste alpino* (1916), establishing him as one of the first and most celebrated international stars of Italian cinema. His fame became his greatest accolade, transforming him into an icon of strength and moral righteousness. His career, inextricably linked to the role of Maciste, ended in the late 1920s due to health problems that forced his premature retirement from acting.