Joseph-Alexander Martigny (born at

Sauverny Sauverny (; ) is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France. It is located between the Jura mountains in France and Lac Leman, bordering the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Population See also *Communes of the Ain department The ...

, Ain, in 1808; died at

Belley Belley (; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Bèlê'') is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Ain Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region, France. It is the capital of the historical regi ...

, 19 August 1880) was a French archaeologist and Canon of Belley.

Biography

He studied at the

minor seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Priesthood (Catholic Church), Catholic priests. They are generally ...

of Belley and became a professor there in 1832. He was curate later at Cressy and afterwards a parish priest of Arbignieu. Encouraged by his bishop and

Jean-Gabriel-Honoré Greppo Jean-Gabriel-Honoré Greppo (3 September 1788, in Lyon – 22 September 1863, in Belley) was a French canon remembered for his research in the fields of archaeology and Oriental studies. He was related to canon Jean-Baptiste Greppo (1712–176 ...

, who promoted a revival of religious archaeology in France, he devoted his leisure hours to the pursuit of that science. He was appointed curé of

Bâgé-le-Châtel Bâgé-le-Châtel () is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France. History The name of Bâgé-le-Châtel comes from a Gallo-Roman villa belonging to a certain Balgiasius. In the Middle Ages, three parishes were formed on the territo ...

and made an honorary canon in 1849. From that time dates his acquaintance with J. B. de Rossi, to whom he became closely attached by reason of his work in the domain of Christian archaeology.

Works

Though living in a retired locality he collected the matter for his , which appeared in 1865; the first work of its kind, giving evidence of the vast erudition, too vast perhaps, for the articles so varied in matter and character, are all from the pen of this learned country priest. This work was soon taken up again by Smith in England and Kraus in Germany. Martigny published a corrected edition of his dictionary in 1877. The publisher,

Hachette Hachette may refer to: * Hachette (surname) * Hachette Livre, a French publisher, the imprint of Lagardère Publishing ** Hachette Book Group, the American subsidiary ** Hachette Distribution Services, the distribution arm See also * Hachette Fil ...

, had intended the work to be part of the of

Charles Victor Daremberg Charles Victor Daremberg (14 March 1817, Dijon – 24 October 1872) was a French librarian, medical historian and classical philologist. He began his medical studies in Dijon, later relocating to Paris, where he served as librarian of the Ac ...

and Edmond Saglio, but its importance made it an independent work. Martigny published also a French edition of the of de Rossi. His writings include various articles in , 1851, ssq., etc.

References

*''Polybiblion'', XXIX, 1880, p. 375-76 {{DEFAULTSORT:Martigny, Joseph-Alexander 1808 births 1880 deaths French archaeologists