Little is known of his personal history. His father's name was Callimedes, and he himself was a taxiarch. The "Suda" has brought several accusations against Cratinus. First, it accuses Cratinus of excessive cowardice. Secondly, a charge against the moral character. Thirdly, a charge of habitual intemperance. Having examined all these charges, it may be safe to say that all of these charges are unlikely enough to be true, and that there is no evidence that Cratinus really committed such things. Moreover, other writers, including Aristophanes, were silent on these charges, except the third charge, which is sustained by many passages of Aristophanes and other writers. They also refer the "Confession of Cratinus", which Cratinus himself seems to have treated the subject in a very amusing way, especially in his "Pytine".