William Smith

author

William Smith

1813–1893

Best known for making the ancient world easier to explore, this Victorian scholar edited influential dictionaries and reference works on Greek and Roman history, mythology, and biography. His books became standard companions for generations of students and general readers.

4 Audiobooks

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

by William Smith

A Smaller History of Rome

A Smaller History of Rome

by Eugene Lawrence, William Smith

The History of the Post Office in British North America

The History of the Post Office in British North America

by William Smith

A Smaller History of Greece: from the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest

A Smaller History of Greece: from the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest

by William Smith

About the author

Born in 1813, this English lexicographer and classical scholar first trained for law before turning to publishing and education. He became widely known for editing major reference works, especially dictionaries of Greek and Roman antiquities, biography, mythology, and geography, as well as schoolbooks that helped bring classical learning to a broader readership.

His career was closely tied to nineteenth-century scholarly publishing, and he also worked as an editor on important periodicals and reference projects. The scale of his compilations made him one of the best-known educational editors of his time, especially for readers interested in the ancient world and the history of the Bible.

He was knighted late in life, and his work remained influential long after his death in 1893. Even now, his name is strongly associated with the great Victorian effort to organize knowledge into practical, readable reference books.