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Tertullian, in full Quintus Septimus Florens Tertullianus c.160-c.220AD
North African Christian theologian

Born in Carthage, he was brought up there as a pagan, then went to Rome, where he was converted to Christianity (c.196AD). His opposition to worldliness in the Church culminated in his becoming a leader of the Montanist sect in c.207, and his writings show increasing hostility to the Church. The first to produce major Christian works in Latin, he had a great influence on the development of ecclesiastical language, and also wrote against heathens, Jews and heretics. His style is vivid, vigorous and concise, and in places shows great eloquence.

Bibliography: Timothy D Barnes, Tertullian: A Historical and Literary Study (1971)