ALTHEIM, Franz. Frankfurt a.M. 6.10.1898 — Münster 17.10.1976. German historian of Classical World and Ancient Asia. Although mainly concerned with classical sources, he also knew Avestan and Aramaic. Son of Wilhelm A. (d. 1914), a painter, studied at Frankfurt and participated in WW I. Ph.D. 1921 and PD 1928 Frankfurt. Professor at Halle from 1936, 1943-48 as ord. (1945 briefly dismissed), then Professor ord. at F.U.Berlin from 1950, retired in 1965. Collaborated with Nazis and Ahnenerbe. In retirement lived in Münster, where his student and adoptive daughter Ruth Altheim-Stiehl was teaching.
His early work was about Roman history, but after the war he turned to eastern questions. He proposed many new theories, not always accepted by others, and often sharply criticized his colleagues.
Publications: Diss. Die Komposition der Politik des Aristoteles. 1921; hab.diss. Griechische Götter im alten Rom. 1928.
– Weltgeschichte Asiens im griechischen Zeitalter. 1-2. 412+262 p. Halle (Saale) 1947-48; Awestische Textgeschichte. 32 p. Mainz 1949; Attila und die Hunnen. 215 p. Baden-Baden 1951, French transl. P. 1952; Alexander und Asien. Geschichte eines geistigen Erbes. 320 p. Tübingen 1953; Zarathustra und Alexander. Frankfurt 1960; works on ancient history; many articles.
– With R. (Altheim-)Stiehl: Das erste Auftreten der Hunnen. 90 p. Baden-Baden 1953; Finanzgeschichte der Spätantike. 428 p. Frankfurt 1957; Geschichte der Hunnen. 1-5. 475+338+330+396+477 p. B. 1959-62, 2nd rev. ed. of 1-4. 1969-75; Die aramäische Sprache unter den Achaimeniden. 1-3. 334 p. Frankfurt 1961-62; Araber im alten Welt. 1-2. B. 1964-65; Geschichte Mittelasiens im Altertum. 811 p. B. 1970; many articles.
– With H.-W. Haussig, Die Hunnen in Osteuropa. 79 p. Baden-Baden 1958.
– With J. Rehork (edd.): Der Hellenismus in Mittelasien. 481 p. Wege der F. 91. Darmstadt 1969.
– Books on Roman history, etc.; numerous articles, often together with R. Altheim-Stiehl.
Sources: Brockhaus Enzyklopädie 19. Aufl. 1, 1986; *E. Baltrusch, Der Neue Pauly. Suppl. 6. 2012, 24f.; *R. Stiehl & H.E. Stier (edd.). Beitr. zur alten Gesch. und deren Nachleben. Fs. für FA. 1-2. B. 1969-70; Wikipedia with photo (also German version).
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