Xaverio Ballester (full name in Spanish transcription: Francisco Javier Ballester Gómez) is a Spanish linguist, professor at University of Valencia and one of main proponents of Paleolithic continuity theory (aka Paleolithic continuity paradigm).
Ballester obtained a PhD in Classical Philology at the University of Barcelona in 1987. His subsequent teaching positions include: Professor titular of Latin Philology in the University of Zaragoza (1989); Professor of Latin Philology in the University of Valencia (1997); Professor of Latin Philology in the University of La Laguna (1997, resign). Ballester is also co-editor of the journal Liburna.
In 2002, he proposed that the Astures people of northern Spain are not of Indo-European origin, citing evidence from Ancient Greek sources, the phonology of Asturian, and the practice of covada, a tradition where the father stimulates childbirth.