- Wilhelm Adolf Becker
Wilhelm Adolf Becker (
1796 -September 30 ,1846 ), German classicalarchaeologist , was born atDresden .At first destined for a commercial life, he was in 1812 sent to the celebrated school at
Pforta . In 1816 he entered theUniversity of Leipzig , where he studied under Beck and Hermann. After holding subordinate posts atZerbst andMeissen , he was in 1842 appointed professor of archaeology at Leipzig. He died atMeissen on30 September 1846.The works by which Becker is most widely known are the "Gallus, oder, römische Scenen aus der Zeit Augusts: zur genaueren Kenntniss des römischen Privatlebens" (1838, new ed. by
Hermann Göll , 1880-1882), and the "Charicles: Bilder altgriechischer Sitte, zur genaueren Kenntniss des griechischen Privatlebens" (1840, new ed. by Göll, 1877-1878). These two books, which have been translated into English byFrederick Metcalfe , contain a very interesting description of the everyday life of theancient Greeks and Romans, in the form of a romance. The notes and appendixes are valuable.More important is the great "Handbuch der römischen Alterthumer" (1843-1868), completed after Becker's death by Marquardt and Mommsen. Becker's treatises "De Comicis Romanorum Fabulis" (1837), "De Romae Veteris Muris atque Portis" (1842), "Die römische Topographie in Röm" (1844), and "Zur römischen Topographie" (1845) may also be mentioned.----
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