Ernst Curtius

Ernst Curtius

Ernst Curtius (September 2, 1814 – July 11, 1896), was a German archaeologist and historian, best remembered for his excavation of Olympia, the most sacred place of ancient Greece.

Life

Ernst Curtius was born on September 2, 1814 in the city of Lübeck, Germany. His father was the mayor of the city, and the important figure in local politics. His younger brother Georg Curtius was a famous philologist.

Ernst Curtius studied under Friedrich Welcker in Bonn, Karl Otfried Müller in Göttingen, and August Boeckh in Berlin. Upon completing his university studies he was chosen by classicist Christian August Brandis to accompany him on a journey to Greece, as a tutor for his children. It was on this journey that Curtius became interested in Greek mythology and culture. Curtius then joined Müller as his companion in the exploration of the Peloponnesus peninsula.

After Müller's death in 1840 he returned to Germany. In 1844, he became an extraordinary professor at the University of Berlin, and in the same year was appointed tutor to Prince Friedrich William (later Kaiser Friedrich III), a post which he held until 1850. It is said that the Kaiser's interest in science was largely influenced by his tutor, Ernst Curtius.

After holding a professorship at the University of Göttingen and undertaking a further journey to Greece in 1862, Curtius was appointed (in 1867) full-time professor of classical archaeology at Berlin. In this period, from 1857 to 1861 he wrote and published his seminal work - Griechische Geschichte, in 3 tomes (The History of Greece, 5 vol., published in English from 1868–73). It was the first study of Greek history published in German language. At the same time Curtius served as a director of the Altes Museum and Antiquarium, opening the branch of the German Archeological Institute in Athens, Greece. He successfully lobbied the government for the start of excavations there. After Germany finally received the exclusive rights to conduct excavations at Olympia in Greece, Curtius was sent by German government in 1874 to Athens. He spent six years, from 1875 to 1881, leading massive expedition of archeologists, who performed excavations in Olympia. Among other famous discoveries, they found sculptures of the Temple of Zeus and Praxiteles' Hermes, which are among the most prized sculptures preserved from antiquity.

Curtius continued with excavations until his death in Berlin, in 1896.

Work

The person who influenced Curtius the most, and whose impact can be seen in his work was Curtius’ professor from Gottingen, Karl Otfried Müller. It was Muller who introduced Curtius to excavations, and who invited Curtius to join his excavation team in Peloponnesus and later Delphi. After Muller’s death of intermittent fever in Athens, Curtius continued to perform excavations.

Curtius was rather systematic in his work. In the peroid from 1875 to 1881 almost whole Olympia was unearthed, revealing some of the most beautiful artistic pieces of anthic Greece. Besides numerous coins and inscriptions, Curtius found some well preserved statues, including the temple of Hera, the altar of Zeus, and the 2.10 meter high statue of Hermes. Curtius also found the original location of the Olympic stadium, where Olympic games took place in Ancient Greece.

There was one difference that separate Curtius from other excavators. Archeology in mid-19 century was still rather young discipline, and most archeologists were amateurs, driven by either their passion for antiques or by the desire for treasure-hunt. Curtius however was one of the first who approached archeology from strictly academic side. Even before the excavations in Olympia have started, Curtius agreed that all the artifacts found by his team would remain in Greece, and that nothing would be taken away. And he kept the agreement. After Curtius, this practice in archeology continued, archeology becaming more professional science.

Curtius’ best-known work - History of Greece (1857-1861) was the first German edition of the history of that country. It was presented in an attractive style what was then based in the latest scholarly research, and thus it, soon after being released, became rather popular.

Legacy

Curtius led one of the first archeological expeditions to Olympia, Greece, and made some significant discoveries. He was also one of the first archeologists who was not motivated by treasure-hunt, but by a true scientific inquiry. After him, German archeology became more professional and academic. His discoveries helped toward better understanding of the culture of the Ancient Greece.

Curtius was succeeded by Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff (1848-1931) at Berlin, who continued his work. Curtius' younger brother Georg Curtius (1820-1885) was an eminent philologist and his grandson the literary historian Ernst Robert Curtius (1886-1956).

Bibliography

• Curtius, Ernst. (1844). Die Akropolis von Athen

• Curtius, Ernst. (1846). Naxos.

• Curtius, Ernst. 2006 (original work from 1851). Peloponnesos: Eine historisch-geographische Beschreibung der Halbinsel. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 1421240564

• Curtius, Ernst. (1852). Olympia

• Curtius, Ernst. (1855). Die lonier vor der Ionischen Wanderung

• Curtius, Ernst. (1862-1865). Attische Studien.

• Curtius, Ernst. (1874). Ephesos

• Curtius, Ernst. (1877). Die Ausgrabungen zu Olympia

• Curtius, Ernst. (1891). Die Stadtgeschichte von Athen

• Curtius, Ernst. (1894). Gesammelte Abhandlungen.

• Curtius, Ernst. 2005. The history of Greece (Adolphus William Ward, trans.). Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library. ISBN 1425557821

• Curtius, Ernst & Adler F. (Eds.) (1882). Olympia und Umgegend

• Curtius, Ernst & Adler F. (1890-1898). Olympia: Die Ergebnisse der von dem deutschen Reich veranstalteten Ausgrabung.

External links

• An Olympic Excavation - Description of Curtius' excavations at Olympia.

• Curtius Ernst – Short biography in Online Encyclopedia

• Biography - Encyclopedia Britannica Article

• Hermes of Praxiteles - Picture and description of the statue Curtius unearthed

• Ernst Curtius - Biography

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