author
Frank Frost Abbott
1860–1924
An influential American classicist who brought ancient Rome to life for general readers as well as students. Best known for writing about Roman politics, society, and everyday people, he helped make the classical world feel vivid and human.
2 Audiobooks
The Common People of Ancient Rome Studies of Roman Life and Literature
by Frank Frost Abbott
Roman politics
by Frank Frost Abbott
About the author
Born in Redding, Connecticut, in 1860, Frank Frost Abbott was an American classical scholar whose work centered on the history, literature, and political life of ancient Rome. He taught at Yale and the University of Chicago before moving to Princeton University in 1907, where he continued his career as a leading scholar of Roman studies.
Abbott was especially admired for making complex classical subjects approachable. His books explored both formal institutions and ordinary life in the Roman world, and works such as The Common People of Ancient Rome and A History and Description of Roman Political Institutions helped introduce many readers to Rome beyond the usual focus on emperors and battles.
He died in Montreux, Switzerland, in 1924. Later reference works have described him as one of the leading authorities of his generation on Roman political and historical literature, and his writing remains of interest to readers who enjoy clear, lively scholarship on the ancient world.