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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Theodor Mommsen

30 November 1817, Garding – 1 November 1903, Berlin

After studying law at Kiel, Theodor Mommsen accepted professorships in Leipzig, Zurich and Breslau. In 1858 he came to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, where he was able to realize his long-championed project: a collection of Latin inscriptions, the "Corpus inscriptionum Latinarum". In 1861 he also took over the chair of roman archaeology at Berliner Universität. He worked at the university for over forty years until his death in 1903. He was its Rector in 1874/75.

Mommsen was a learned, but also politically active person. He is best known to the general public for his 'Roman History', which was published in four volumes. In 1902 he was awarded the first Nobel Prize for Literature for his source editions and works on Roman and legal history.

There is a monument to the ancient historian and jurist in the courtyard in front of the west wing of the main building.