The term Byzantine Empire was first introduced into historiography by Hieronymus Wolf, a German humanist whose 1557 publication, Corpus Historiae Byzantinae, provided a foundational framework for medieval Greek studies. Born in Oettingen in Bayern in 1516, he spent his professional career operating as a librarian, historian, and educator within the Holy Roman Empire until his death in 1580.
Early Education and Career
Born one of nine children to an impoverished clerk, Wolf worked as a scribe despite his formal legal education. His intellectual path was shaped by Lutheran teaching through exposure to Philipp Melanchthon in Wittenberg. By self-funding his acquisition of a Latin-Greek dictionary, he achieved enough fluency to translate the speeches of Demosthenes. This work reached the publishing house of Oporinus in 1549, which subsequently brought him to the attention of the influential Fugger family in Augsburg.
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In 1551, Wolf secured a position as secretary and librarian to the Fugger family. He later served as secretary and librarian for the public library of Augsburg, an institution that gained prominence through the acquisition of 100 Greek manuscripts from Venice. Under his scholarly direction, the library developed into a notable research center. During this period, he produced a scholarly edition of Isocrates, published in Paris in 1551, which solidified his academic reputation.
Founding of the St Anne Gymnasium
Wolf was appointed the first rector of the Gelehrtenschule, housed within the St Anne Carmelite cloister and later known as the St Anne Gymnasium. This institution was established as a Protestant College to counter the concurrent creation of a Jesuit college. Although he recruited capable faculty such as Georg Henisch and Simon Fabricius, Wolf remained a secluded and egocentric figure who suffered from chronic health issues throughout his life, eventually dying at age 64.
Historiographical Legacy
Wolf’s contribution to history emerged from a desire to understand the Ottoman expansion, having witnessed the Siege of Vienna during his lifetime. By coining the term Byzantine, he sought to distinguish medieval Greek history from classical studies and reinforce a European Christian identity against the Ottoman claim to the Roman title. His 1557 collection of sources later served as the foundation for a massive 34-volume set produced in the 17th century, which permanently integrated the term into academic study.
Fast facts
- Born: 1516, Oettingen in Bayern
- Died: 1580, Augsburg
- Occupations: Librarian, historian, translator, classical philologist, Byzantinist
- Language: Latin
- Notable Publication: Corpus Historiae Byzantinae (1557)
- Positions held: Rector of the St Anne Gymnasium
Questions readers ask
Why did Hieronymus Wolf coin the term Byzantine?
He likely used the term to strengthen the legitimacy of the Germanic Kaiser der Römer over the Ottoman claim to the title of Caesar of Rome, while fostering a unified European Christian identity.
Did Hieronymus Wolf have a family?
No, he never married.
