Erwin Rohde facts for kids
Erwin Rohde (born October 9, 1845 – died January 11, 1898) was an important German expert in ancient studies during the 1800s. He was known for his deep knowledge of classical Greek and Roman times.
Rohde was born in Hamburg, Germany. His father was a doctor. Today, many people know Rohde because he was a close friend and wrote many letters to another famous scholar, Friedrich Nietzsche. They studied together at universities in Bonn and Leipzig. There, they learned about philology, which is the study of language and literature, from their teacher Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl.
Rohde's Career and Teaching
In 1872, Rohde became a professor at the University of Kiel. A professor is a high-level teacher at a university. He later taught at other universities. These included Jena in 1876 and Tübingen in 1878. Finally, he became a professor in Heidelberg. He stayed there until he passed away in 1898. His health slowly got worse before he died.
Important Books by Rohde
Erwin Rohde wrote several important books. These books are still studied by scholars today.
Psyche
One of his most famous works is called Psyche. He wrote this book between 1890 and 1894. Psyche is still a key book for understanding Greek mythology. It explains ancient Greek beliefs and practices about the soul. It helps us learn how ancient Greeks thought about life after death and the spirit.
Der Griechische Roman
Another important book by Rohde is Der Griechische Roman und seine Vorläufer. This means "The Greek Novel and its Predecessors." He published it in 1876. A famous thinker named Mikhail Bakhtin said it was "the best book on the history of the ancient novel." Even today, experts consider it one of the greatest works from 19th-century German classical studies. It helped people understand how stories like novels began in ancient times.