Mommsen, Theodor (1817-1903), a German historian, won the 1902 Nobel Prize for literature. Mommsen gained international recognition as an expert in ancient Roman history. His major works were his unfinished three-volume History of Rome (1854-1856) and his Roman Provinces (1885). His works were praised for their vivid re-creation of ancient Roman life.
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was born in Garding, Germany. He held a number of academic positions during his career in both law and ancient history. He was permanent secretary of the Berlin Academy from 1873 to 1895. Mommsen was a member of the Prussian parliament from 1863 to 1866 and again from 1873 to 1879. He also served in the German Reichstag from 1881 to 1884.
