author

Charles Thomas Cruttwell

1847–1911

An Oxford-trained classical scholar and Church of England clergyman, he wrote clear, ambitious studies of Roman literature and early Christianity that were meant for students as well as general readers. His books reflect a wide Victorian curiosity about the ancient world and the early church.

1 Audiobook

The History of Roman Literature From the Earliest Period to the Death of Marcus Aurelius

The History of Roman Literature From the Earliest Period to the Death of Marcus Aurelius

by Charles Thomas Cruttwell

About the author

Born in London in 1847, Charles Thomas Cruttwell was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and St John's College, Oxford, where he earned distinction in classics and Hebrew. He later became a classical moderator at Oxford, combining deep scholarly training with a gift for writing books that could reach beyond a narrow academic audience.

Cruttwell worked both as an educator and as a clergyman. He served as headmaster of Malvern College and later held church posts including the rectory of Ewelme in Oxfordshire. Alongside these roles, he built a reputation as a learned interpreter of the ancient world.

He is best remembered for works such as A History of Roman Literature, A Literary History of Early Christianity, and The Saxon Church and the Norman Conquest. Written in a serious but accessible style, these books helped introduce generations of readers to classical writing, early Christian thought, and English church history before his death in 1911.