Aurel Pantea (Romanian pronunciation: [a.u'rel 'pante?a]; born 10 March 1952) is a Romanian poet and literary critic.
Born in Che?ani, Mure? County into a family of peasants, Pantea attended the Faculty of Letters of the Babe?-Bolyai University in Cluj, graduating in 1976.
During the university years he collaborated with the magazine Equinox.
After graduation, he taught at Bor?a and Alba Iulia.
Since 1989 he is the director of the magazine Vatra, and since 1990 he is the director of the magazine Discobolul.