Christian Habicht (23 February 1926 – 6 August 2018) was a German historian of

ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

and an

epigrapher Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...

in Ancient Greek.Brief biography from the Institute for Advanced Study

Biography

After his Promotion (PhD) at the University of Hamburg in 1952, Habicht was an assistant professor there and after his Habilitation degree in 1957

Privatdozent ''Privatdozent'' (for men) or ''Privatdozentin'' (for women), abbreviated PD, P.D. or Priv.-Doz., is an academic title conferred at some European universities, especially in German-speaking countries, to someone who holds certain formal qualifi ...

. In 1961, he became

ordentlicher Professor Academic ranks in Germany are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers, and administrative personnel held in academia. Overview Appointment grades * (Pay grade: ''W3'' or ''W2'') * (''W3'') * (''W2'') * (''W2'', ...

at the

University of Marburg The Philipps University of Marburg () is a public research university located in Marburg, Germany. It was founded in 1527 by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, which makes it one of Germany's oldest universities and the oldest still operating Prote ...

and then in 1965 moved to the

University of Heidelberg Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is List ...

. In 1973, Habicht went as a faculty professor to the

Institute for Advanced Study The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is an independent center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry located in Princeton, New Jersey. It has served as the academic home of internationally preeminent scholars, including Albert Ein ...

in Princeton, where he had already belonged, since the previous year, as a permanent member. At Heidelberg he remained "Honorar" professor. After 1983 he additionally taught at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

as a visiting professor; he retired in 1998. Habicht's work focused on Greek

epigraphy Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...

and Athenian history in

Hellenistic In classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Greek history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, which was followed by the ascendancy of the R ...

times. He wrote extensively on Pausanias and

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...

. In 1982 Habicht was Sather Professor in Classics at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

. In 1991 he received the Reuchlin Prize of the city of

Pforzheim Pforzheim () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany. It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the ...

, in 1996 the Moe Prize of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

and in 1998 the Criticos Prize of the

Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic studies, Hellenic Studies, known as the Hellenic Society, was founded in 1879 to advance the study of Greek language, Greek literature, literature, Greek history, history, Greek art, art and Classical ar ...

in London. He is a member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences (since 1970), the German and Austrian Archaeological Institutes, the American Philosophical Society, the

British Academy The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the sa ...

. and the Academy of Athens. Habicht was co-editor of the series of publications ''Hypomnemata'' (1962 to 1996) and the ''American Journal of Ancient History '' (1976 to 2000).

Selected works

A complete bibliography of Habicht's writings up to 2002 can be found in volume 32 (2002) of the journal ''Chiron''. * ''Gottmenschentum und griechische Städte''. Beck, München 1956; 2. Auflage 1970. * ''Altertümer von Pergamon'' Bd. 8, 3. ''Die Inschriften des Asklepieions''. de Gruyter, Berlin 1969. * ''Untersuchungen zur politischen Geschichte Athens im 3. Jahrhundert v. Chr.'' Beck, München 1979, . * ''Studien zur Geschichte Athens in hellenistischer Zeit''. Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, Göttingen 1983, . * ''Pausanias und seine „Beschreibung Griechenlands“''. Beck, München 1985, . * ''Cicero der Politiker''. Beck, München 1990, . * ''Athen in hellenistischer Zeit. Gesammelte Aufsätze''. Beck, München 1994, . * ''Athen. Die Geschichte der Stadt in hellenistischer Zeit''. Beck, München 1995, . *''Athens from Alexander to Antony'', Harvard University Press, 1997, . * ''The Hellenistic Monarchies: Selected Papers''. University of Michigan Press 2006, .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Habicht, Christian 1926 births 2018 deaths Institute for Advanced Study faculty Historians of antiquity Hellenic epigraphers Scholars of ancient Greek history German male writers People from Dortmund Corresponding fellows of the British Academy

Biography

Selected works

Further reading

References