W. W. (William Woodthorpe) Tarn

Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn was a British classical scholar and writer, born in 1869 and died in 1957. He is usually cited as W. W. Tarn, and his work focused on the Hellenistic world, especially Alexander the Great’s empire and the successor kingdoms.

Before becoming best known as an ancient historian, he was trained at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple. He later devoted himself to scholarship, producing a large body of work on Greek history and culture.

Tarn’s reputation rests above all on his studies of Alexander and Hellenistic civilization. Even when later historians disagreed with some of his conclusions, his writing remained important for its ambition, range, and lasting influence on the field.