Karl Julius Beloch
Encyclopedia
Karl Julius Beloch was a German classical
and economic historian.
In 1870 he moved to Italy for health reasons, where he subsequently studied in Palermo
and Rome
. In 1875 he received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg. In 1879 he became a professor extraordinarius of ancient history
at the University of Rome, where he remained for almost all of his professional career.
Beloch is known for his critical examinations of classical Greek and Roman history. He was skeptical of traditional sources, and frequently presented a new and subjective reconstruction of historical events. These viewpoints placed him out of favor with several influential German scholars, particularly famed historian
Theodor Mommsen
. In 1889 Beloch was denied professorship at Breslau, a position which had been vacated by Eduard Meyer
, and instead given to Ulrich Wilcken
.
Among his numerous publications was a four-volume opus of Greek history titled Griechische Geschichte, and a systematic study involving the demography
of the Greco-Roman world called Die Bevölkerung der griechisch-römischen Welt.
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
and economic historian.
In 1870 he moved to Italy for health reasons, where he subsequently studied in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1875 he received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg. In 1879 he became a professor extraordinarius of ancient history
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
at the University of Rome, where he remained for almost all of his professional career.
Beloch is known for his critical examinations of classical Greek and Roman history. He was skeptical of traditional sources, and frequently presented a new and subjective reconstruction of historical events. These viewpoints placed him out of favor with several influential German scholars, particularly famed historian
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...
Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
. In 1889 Beloch was denied professorship at Breslau, a position which had been vacated by Eduard Meyer
Eduard Meyer
Eduard Meyer was a German historian.-Biography:Meyer was born at Hamburg and educated at the Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums and later at the universities of Bonn and Leipzig. After completing his studies, he spent one year in Istanbul. In 1879, he went to the University of Leipzig as privatdocent...
, and instead given to Ulrich Wilcken
Ulrich Wilcken
Ulrich Wilcken was a German historian and papyrologist who was a native of Stettin.Wilcken studied ancient history and Oriental studies in Leipzig, Tübingen and Berlin. He was a disciple of historian Theodor Mommsen, who encouraged Wilcken to take a position as cataloguer of papyri following...
.
Among his numerous publications was a four-volume opus of Greek history titled Griechische Geschichte, and a systematic study involving the demography
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
of the Greco-Roman world called Die Bevölkerung der griechisch-römischen Welt.