author
Jesse Benedict Carter
1872–1917
A gifted American classicist and interpreter of ancient Rome, he brought Roman religion and literature to life for modern readers. His career ranged from Princeton classrooms to scholarly work in Rome, ending tragically while he was serving on an aid mission during World War I.
1 Audiobook
The Religion of Numa And Other Essays on the Religion of Ancient Rome
by Jesse Benedict Carter
About the author
Born in New York City in 1872, Jesse Benedict Carter became an American scholar of classics and Roman religion. He studied at Princeton and in Germany, then went on to teach at Princeton University, where he built a reputation as a clear and energetic interpreter of the ancient world.
Carter wrote and edited books that helped readers approach Latin poetry, Roman history, and religious life with confidence. His work is especially remembered for making the beliefs and institutions of ancient Rome feel vivid and understandable rather than remote.
Later in his career, he was closely connected with major American scholarly institutions in Rome, including the American Academy in Rome. He died in Italy in 1917 after suffering heatstroke while engaged in wartime relief work, cutting short a career that had already made a lasting mark on classical studies.