About
Professor Christopher Whitton is a distinguished academic in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge, where he holds the position of Professor of Latin Literature. He is also a Fellow and Director of Studies in Classics at Emmanuel College. Whitton's academic journey began at St John's College, Cambridge, where he completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies. His career includes prestigious fellowships such as the Kennedy Scholarship at Harvard University and the Humboldt Fellowship at Freie Universität Berlin and Rostock University.
His research focuses on Latin literature of the Roman Imperial period, particularly the works of Pliny the Younger, exploring themes such as epistolary form, ancient rhetoric, and literary self-imitation. He has contributed significantly to the study of Roman historiography and the cultural context of classical texts through his monographs and edited volumes, including Roman Literature under Nerva, Trajan and Hadrian.
Whitton’s recent publications analyze Pliny’s Epistles and Panegyricus, examining narrative techniques, political rhetoric, and the interplay between personal and public discourse in Roman literature. His work also bridges classical and early modern thought, such as interpreting Pliny through Enlightenment-era lenses.
Awarded the Kennedy Scholarship and Humboldt Fellowship, Whitton has supervised numerous PhD students and actively participates in academic initiatives like the Marie Curie Actions and British Academy fellowships. He contributes to research clusters in Greek and Latin Literature, Ancient History, and Classical Archaeology at Cambridge.
Whitton is affiliated with Emmanuel College and the Faculty of Classics, maintaining an active role in teaching and mentoring. His address is Emmanuel College, Cambridge CB2 3AP, and he can be reached at clw36@cam.ac.uk.
