author
J. C. (John Clarke) Stobart
1878–1933
A lively popularizer of the ancient world, this British classicist wrote with the aim of making Rome and Greece feel vivid to general readers. His career also reached beyond the classroom: he became the BBC's first Director of Education.
2 Audiobooks
The Grandeur That Was Rome: a survey of Roman culture and civilisation
by J. C. (John Clarke) Stobart
The Glory That Was Greece: a survey of Hellenic culture and civilisation
by J. C. (John Clarke) Stobart
About the author
Born in Dorset in 1878, John Clarke Stobart was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He went on to teach and lecture in classics, later serving as one of His Majesty's Inspectors of Schools.
Stobart is best remembered as a scholar who wrote for broad audiences rather than only for specialists. Books such as The Grandeur That Was Rome helped introduce many readers to Roman culture and civilization, and his work on literary history shows the same clear, accessible approach.
He also played an important part in early broadcasting history as the BBC's first Director of Education. Stobart died in 1933, but his books still reflect an energetic effort to make the ancient world and the history of literature feel welcoming and alive.