The publication of the Atlas géographique de l'Italie ancienne in 1852 marked the beginning of an expansive career for Ernest Desjardins, a French scholar whose work spanned history, archaeology, and geography. Born in 1823 in Noisy-sur-Oise, he dedicated his professional life to mapping and documenting ancient landscapes, eventually securing a professorship at the Collège de France shortly before his death in 1886.
Academic Foundations and Early Career
Desjardins received his education at the Lycée Condorcet and the Faculty of Arts of Paris. His early academic contributions were heavily focused on the topography of the ancient world. By 1856, he began instructing students in Latin epigraphy at the Lycée Napoleon in Paris. In 1861, he shifted his focus toward geography, taking up a teaching position at the École Normale Supérieure.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Field Research and Geographical Studies
Beyond his classroom obligations, he conducted extensive archaeological investigations throughout Italy, Egypt, and the territories bordering the Danube. His analytical work often intersected with cartography, as demonstrated in his 1869 volume regarding the geography of Gaul based on the Peutinger Table and his 1876 collaborative effort with Auguste Longnon on the historical and administrative structure of Roman Gaul.
Scholarly Publications and Appointments
Desjardins maintained a prolific output throughout his life, covering topics ranging from the historical topography of Latium and the pre-conquest history of Peru to the mouth of the Rhône. He edited the complete works of Bartolomeo Borghesi in 1861 and authored various reports and historical studies. In 1875, he attained professional recognition through his election as a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. His career culminated in 1886 with his appointment to the Collège de France, where he taught epigraphy and Roman antiquities until his death later that same year in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.
Fast facts
- Born: 1823, Noisy-sur-Oise
- Died: 1886, 16th arrondissement of Paris
- Citizenship: France
- Primary occupations: Professor, historian, geographer, archaeologist
- Education: Lycée Condorcet, Faculty of Arts of Paris
- Professional affiliation: Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
- Final appointment: Collège de France (1886)
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Ernest Desjardins teach?
He taught Latin epigraphy at the Lycée Napoleon, geography at the École Normale Supérieure, and epigraphy and Roman antiquities at the Collège de France.
Did he focus solely on French history?
No. While his work included studies on Gaul, he also published research on ancient Italy, Egypt, the Danube region, and pre-conquest Peru.
Achievements
- Recorded as geographer, historian and professor
.jpg)