Hieronymus Wolf
Encyclopedia
Hieronymus Wolf was a sixteenth-century German historian
and humanist
, most famous for introducing a system of Byzantine historiography that eventually became the standard in works of medieval Greek history.
, Germany
, as a student of Philipp Melanchthon
and Joachim Camerarius
, Hieronymus was educated according to the ideals of the rising humanist
movement and studied extensively Jesus and Latin works. He managed to secure the position of secretarian and librarian in the newly established public library of Augsburg
in 1537, where he would be given the chance to study and translate numerous ancient and medieval Greek authors making them accessible to German academics. He made his reputation as a scholar of Isocrates
and first published an edition of him at Paris in 1551. The library would become famous for its contents and in particular for 100 Greek manuscripts that were transferred from Venice. Later on, under the scholarly direction of Hieronymus Wolf and others, the library became a research center of both respect and quality throughout Europe
.
. Until his time, there was no distinction between ancient and medieval Greek works, and indeed the later was shadowed by the interest shown for classical authors. Rather, interest would be stirred from a different direction, that of discovering and explaining the history that lead to the conquest of virtually all of eastern Europe by the Ottomans, whom Wolf would live during their Siege of Vienna
. He focused primarily on Greek history and published his work in 1557 under the title of Corpus Historiae Byzantinae, and was more a collection of Byzantine sources, rather than a comprehensive history. Nevertheless, the impact of his work on the long term was massive for it would set the foundations for upcoming medieval Greek histories.
In the early 17th century, king Louis XIV of France
prompted for the assemblage of all Byzantine works and called several renowned scholars from around the world to participate in this effort. Hieronymus' Corpus would be used to build upon. The result was an immense 34 volume Corpus Historiae Byzantinae with paralleled Greek text and Latin translation in it. This edition popularized the term Byzantine and established it in historical studies.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, most famous for introducing a system of Byzantine historiography that eventually became the standard in works of medieval Greek history.
His life
Born at Oettingen in BayernOettingen in Bayern
Oettingen in Bayern is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated northwest of Donauwörth, and northeast of Nördlingen.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, as a student of Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
and Joachim Camerarius
Joachim Camerarius
Joachim Camerarius , the Elder was a German classical scholar.-Life:He was born at Bamberg, Bavaria...
, Hieronymus was educated according to the ideals of the rising humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
movement and studied extensively Jesus and Latin works. He managed to secure the position of secretarian and librarian in the newly established public library of Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
in 1537, where he would be given the chance to study and translate numerous ancient and medieval Greek authors making them accessible to German academics. He made his reputation as a scholar of Isocrates
Isocrates
Isocrates , an ancient Greek rhetorician, was one of the ten Attic orators. In his time, he was probably the most influential rhetorician in Greece and made many contributions to rhetoric and education through his teaching and written works....
and first published an edition of him at Paris in 1551. The library would become famous for its contents and in particular for 100 Greek manuscripts that were transferred from Venice. Later on, under the scholarly direction of Hieronymus Wolf and others, the library became a research center of both respect and quality throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
His work
Hieronymus continued to work in Augsburg's library, but his life's work would be outside the traditional fields proponed by humanismHumanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
. Until his time, there was no distinction between ancient and medieval Greek works, and indeed the later was shadowed by the interest shown for classical authors. Rather, interest would be stirred from a different direction, that of discovering and explaining the history that lead to the conquest of virtually all of eastern Europe by the Ottomans, whom Wolf would live during their Siege of Vienna
Siege of Vienna
The Siege of Vienna in 1529 was the first attempt by the Ottoman Empire, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, to capture the city of Vienna, Austria. The siege signalled the pinnacle of the Ottoman Empire's power, the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe, and was the result of a...
. He focused primarily on Greek history and published his work in 1557 under the title of Corpus Historiae Byzantinae, and was more a collection of Byzantine sources, rather than a comprehensive history. Nevertheless, the impact of his work on the long term was massive for it would set the foundations for upcoming medieval Greek histories.
In the early 17th century, king Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
prompted for the assemblage of all Byzantine works and called several renowned scholars from around the world to participate in this effort. Hieronymus' Corpus would be used to build upon. The result was an immense 34 volume Corpus Historiae Byzantinae with paralleled Greek text and Latin translation in it. This edition popularized the term Byzantine and established it in historical studies.