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William Woodthorpe Tarn

April 14, 2024

Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn (26 February 1869 – 7 November 1957) was a British classical scholar and a writer. He wrote extensively on the Hellenistic world, particularly on Alexander the Great's empire and its successor states.

Life edit

William Woodthorpe Tarn was born in London on 26 February 1869, eldest of two sons and one daughter of William Tarn (b. 1841/2), a silk merchant, and Frances Arthy (b. 1843/4). He studied at Eton College, where he was school captain and a king's scholar, graduating in 1888. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge with Henry Jackson, sparking a lifelong interest in Greek philosophy. He then studied law at the Inner Temple, becoming a chancery barrister in 1894. In 1896 he married Flora Macdonald (d. 1937). He had one daughter, Otta, for whom he wrote a fairy story, The Treasure of the Isle of Mist (1919).[1]

Following the long illness of Flora, Tarn had a breakdown and retired from law. He left London for Scotland, where he made his home initially at Mountgerald, near Dingwall, and later at Muirtown House, near Inverness. His interest in Greek philosophy reappeared in his first book, Antigonos Gonatas (1913), he sought to bring his subject, whom he admired, to life. Despite technical advances and numerous revisionist challenges, Tarn's books continue to influence the subject at the end of the twentieth century.[2]

During the Great War, Tarn worked as an intelligence officer, having been refused enlistment in the army due to poor sight.

Tarn published in learned journals, especially on ancient Hellenistic, geographical, military, and naval history. He was known as "a forceful if courteous controversialist", according to Adcock.[2] He rejected J. S. Morrison's early argument about the construction of triremes. His Lees Knowles lectures at Trinity College, published as Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments in 1930, have remained in print ever since. He then spent several years working on the pioneering The Greeks in Bactria and India, which became a classic in the field. Tarn was elected FBA in 1928 and took a Cambridge LittD in 1931. He was a member of several learned societies and academies in Britain and abroad, and was made an honorary LLD by Edinburgh University in 1933. In 1939 he was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1947.[3] In 1952 he was knighted for his services to history.[2]

Tarn lived out his retirement as a country gentleman. He died at his home near Inverness on 7 November 1957.

Works edit

Tarn's prolific scholarship, publishing some 153 works, was seminal to the development of Hellenistic studies in the Twentieth Century.[4] His study of Greeks in Hellenistic Asia used new and diverse sources, using Greek, Babylonian, Indian and Tibetan sources to complement Greek sources.

According to some, Tarn offered a somewhat idealistic interpretation of Alexander's conquests as culturally inclusive and essentially driven by his vision of the "unity of mankind" in the Opis Decree.[clarification needed] Such a reading, which echoes Hellenistic philosophical ecumenicalism [5] has been challenged by recent revisionists.[6] Jeanne Reames remarked that "Tarn's portrait of Alexander turned the Greek conqueror into a proper Scottish gentleman". Likewise, Ernst Badian criticised Tarn for his prejudice against opponents to Alexander. When discussing the revolt of the Spartan king Agis III in 331 BC, Badian added that Tarn "distort[ed] the actual facts in an all but irresponsible fashion" in his work.[7]

Reames also saw Tarn's strong influence in Mary Renault's trilogy of historical novels about Alexander - though Renault's acknowledged Alexander's homo-erotic tendencies, while Tarn had regarded references to them in ancient sources as "defamations" which the Macedonian king had to be defended against.[8]

Tarn's ground-breaking work on Graeco-Baktrian history considered the interaction between Greek and non-Greek subject peoples in Hellenistic territories and how these developed over time. He characterised the cosmopolitan Bactrian Euthydemid dynasty dynasty as "a courageous experiment that failed"[9] Greco-Bactrians and Indo-Greeks.

His only non-academic writing is The Treasure of the Isle of Mist (1919), a fairytale dedicated to his daughter Otta.[1]

Publications edit

  • Antigonos Gonatas. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913.[10] (Later editions: Oxford University Press, 1969 (hardcover, ISBN 0-19-814275-7); Chicago: Argonaut, 1969 (hardcover, ISBN 0-8244-0142-5)). (See Antigonos Gonatas.)
  • The Treasure of the Isle of Mist. London: Philip Allan & Co, 1919. – fantasy adventure for children
  • The Hellenistic Age: Aspects of Hellenistic Civilisation, by J.B. Bury, E.A. Barber, Edwyn Bevan, and Tarn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1923.
  • Hellenistic Civilisation. London: Edward Arnold & Co., 1927. (2nd, rev. ed., 1930. 3rd ed., with G.T. Griffith, 1952.)
  • Seleucid-Parthian Studies (Proceedings of the British Academy; XVI). London: Humphrey Milford, 1930.
  • Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments. Cambridge U. Press, 1930. (Latest ed., New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1998 (paperback, ISBN 0-8196-0169-1)).
  • Alexander the Great and the Unity of Mankind. Humphrey Milford, 1933.
  • The Greeks in Bactria & India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1938. (3rd, revised ed. Chicago Ridge, IL: Ares Publishers, 1997 (hardcover, ISBN 0-89005-524-6)).
  • Alexander the Great. Vol. I, Narrative; Vol. II, Sources and Studies. Cambridge U. Press, 1948. (New ed., 2002 (paperback, ISBN 0-521-53137-3)).
  • Tarn, W. W. “Alexander and the Ganges,” Journal of Hellenic Studies, 43 (1923), 93-101
  • Tarn, W. W. “Heracles Son of Barsine.” JHS 41.1 (1921): 18–28.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Lehnus, Luigi (1999). "La dedica dell'Antigonos Gonatas di W. W. Tarn". Aevum. 73 (1): 154. JSTOR 20860934 – via JSTOR.
  2. ^ a b c [F. E. Adcock, "Tarn, Sir William Woodthorpe, (1869–1957)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]
  3. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  4. ^ "William Woodthorpe Tarn". Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  5. ^ Arrian Anabasis 7.11.7
  6. ^ "Alexander the not so Great: History through Persian eyes". BBC News. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  7. ^ Badian, "Agis III", p. 171.
  8. ^ Beyond Renault - Mary Renault, Jeanne Reames reviews 3 books on Alexander the Great written by Renault
  9. ^ [W.W. Tarn, The Greeks in Bactria and India, p413]
  10. ^ "Review of Antigonos Gonatas by William Woodthorpe Tarn". The Athenaeum (4467): 610–611. 7 June 1893.

Bibliography edit

  • Adcock, F.E. Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn, 1869–1957. London, 1959.
  • Ernst Badian, "Agis III", Hermes, Vol. 95 (1967), pp. 170-192.
  • Opis Decree in Arrian's Anabasis Arrian on the mutiny at Opis - Livius

External links edit

April 14, 2024
william, woodthorpe, tarn, february, 1869, november, 1957, british, classical, scholar, writer, wrote, extensively, hellenistic, world, particularly, alexander, great, empire, successor, states, contents, life, works, publications, also, references, bibliograp. Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn 26 February 1869 7 November 1957 was a British classical scholar and a writer He wrote extensively on the Hellenistic world particularly on Alexander the Great s empire and its successor states Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 Publications 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksLife editWilliam Woodthorpe Tarn was born in London on 26 February 1869 eldest of two sons and one daughter of William Tarn b 1841 2 a silk merchant and Frances Arthy b 1843 4 He studied at Eton College where he was school captain and a king s scholar graduating in 1888 He studied at Trinity College Cambridge with Henry Jackson sparking a lifelong interest in Greek philosophy He then studied law at the Inner Temple becoming a chancery barrister in 1894 In 1896 he married Flora Macdonald d 1937 He had one daughter Otta for whom he wrote a fairy story The Treasure of the Isle of Mist 1919 1 Following the long illness of Flora Tarn had a breakdown and retired from law He left London for Scotland where he made his home initially at Mountgerald near Dingwall and later at Muirtown House near Inverness His interest in Greek philosophy reappeared in his first book Antigonos Gonatas 1913 he sought to bring his subject whom he admired to life Despite technical advances and numerous revisionist challenges Tarn s books continue to influence the subject at the end of the twentieth century 2 During the Great War Tarn worked as an intelligence officer having been refused enlistment in the army due to poor sight Tarn published in learned journals especially on ancient Hellenistic geographical military and naval history He was known as a forceful if courteous controversialist according to Adcock 2 He rejected J S Morrison s early argument about the construction of triremes His Lees Knowles lectures at Trinity College published as Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments in 1930 have remained in print ever since He then spent several years working on the pioneering The Greeks in Bactria and India which became a classic in the field Tarn was elected FBA in 1928 and took a Cambridge LittD in 1931 He was a member of several learned societies and academies in Britain and abroad and was made an honorary LLD by Edinburgh University in 1933 In 1939 he was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College Cambridge He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1947 3 In 1952 he was knighted for his services to history 2 Tarn lived out his retirement as a country gentleman He died at his home near Inverness on 7 November 1957 Works editTarn s prolific scholarship publishing some 153 works was seminal to the development of Hellenistic studies in the Twentieth Century 4 His study of Greeks in Hellenistic Asia used new and diverse sources using Greek Babylonian Indian and Tibetan sources to complement Greek sources According to some Tarn offered a somewhat idealistic interpretation of Alexander s conquests as culturally inclusive and essentially driven by his vision of the unity of mankind in the Opis Decree clarification needed Such a reading which echoes Hellenistic philosophical ecumenicalism 5 has been challenged by recent revisionists 6 Jeanne Reames remarked that Tarn s portrait of Alexander turned the Greek conqueror into a proper Scottish gentleman Likewise Ernst Badian criticised Tarn for his prejudice against opponents to Alexander When discussing the revolt of the Spartan king Agis III in 331 BC Badian added that Tarn distort ed the actual facts in an all but irresponsible fashion in his work 7 Reames also saw Tarn s strong influence in Mary Renault s trilogy of historical novels about Alexander though Renault s acknowledged Alexander s homo erotic tendencies while Tarn had regarded references to them in ancient sources as defamations which the Macedonian king had to be defended against 8 Tarn s ground breaking work on Graeco Baktrian history considered the interaction between Greek and non Greek subject peoples in Hellenistic territories and how these developed over time He characterised the cosmopolitan Bactrian Euthydemid dynasty dynasty as a courageous experiment that failed 9 Greco Bactrians and Indo Greeks His only non academic writing is The Treasure of the Isle of Mist 1919 a fairytale dedicated to his daughter Otta 1 Publications editAntigonos Gonatas Oxford Clarendon Press 1913 10 Later editions Oxford University Press 1969 hardcover ISBN 0 19 814275 7 Chicago Argonaut 1969 hardcover ISBN 0 8244 0142 5 See Antigonos Gonatas The Treasure of the Isle of Mist London Philip Allan amp Co 1919 fantasy adventure for children The Hellenistic Age Aspects of Hellenistic Civilisation by J B Bury E A Barber Edwyn Bevan and Tarn Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1923 Hellenistic Civilisation London Edward Arnold amp Co 1927 2nd rev ed 1930 3rd ed with G T Griffith 1952 Seleucid Parthian Studies Proceedings of the British Academy XVI London Humphrey Milford 1930 Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments Cambridge U Press 1930 Latest ed New York Biblo and Tannen 1998 paperback ISBN 0 8196 0169 1 Alexander the Great and the Unity of Mankind Humphrey Milford 1933 The Greeks in Bactria amp India Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1938 3rd revised ed Chicago Ridge IL Ares Publishers 1997 hardcover ISBN 0 89005 524 6 Alexander the Great Vol I Narrative Vol II Sources and Studies Cambridge U Press 1948 New ed 2002 paperback ISBN 0 521 53137 3 Tarn W W Alexander and the Ganges Journal of Hellenic Studies 43 1923 93 101 Tarn W W Heracles Son of Barsine JHS 41 1 1921 18 28 See also editWill CuppyReferences edit a b Lehnus Luigi 1999 La dedica dell Antigonos Gonatas di W W Tarn Aevum 73 1 154 JSTOR 20860934 via JSTOR a b c F E Adcock Tarn Sir William Woodthorpe 1869 1957 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography APS Member History search amphilsoc org Retrieved 13 March 2023 William Woodthorpe Tarn Retrieved 18 February 2024 Arrian Anabasis 7 11 7 Alexander the not so Great History through Persian eyes BBC News 11 July 2012 Retrieved 6 March 2023 Badian Agis III p 171 Beyond Renault Mary Renault Jeanne Reames reviews 3 books on Alexander the Great written by Renault W W Tarn The Greeks in Bactria and India p413 Review of Antigonos Gonatas by William Woodthorpe Tarn The Athenaeum 4467 610 611 7 June 1893 Bibliography editAdcock F E Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn 1869 1957 London 1959 Ernst Badian Agis III Hermes Vol 95 1967 pp 170 192 Opis Decree in Arrian s Anabasis Arrian on the mutiny at Opis LiviusExternal links editTimes Obituary for W W Tarn Works by William Woodthorpe Tarn at Project Gutenberg Works by or about William Woodthorpe Tarn at Internet Archive W W Tarn at Library of Congress with 21 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Woodthorpe Tarn amp oldid 1209074393, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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