Biography.guide
Home › People › Archaeologist › Benjamin Dean Meritt
Portrait of Benjamin Dean Meritt

Benjamin Dean Meritt

1899 – 1989

American classical scholar and epigraphist

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Benjamin Dean Meritt

Lived 1899 – 1989 (aged 90). Benjamin Dean Meritt was an American archaeologist, classical philologist, university teacher and epigrapher.

Benjamin Dean Meritt (March 31, 1899 in Durham, North Carolina – July 7, 1989 in Austin, Texas) was a classical scholar, professor and epigraphist of ancient Greece. He was the older son of Arthur Herbert Meritt, a professor of Greek and Latin at Trinity College (later Duke University).

Meritt was educated at Hamilton College (B.A. 1920) and Princeton University (M.A. 1923, Ph.D. 1924). and worked extensively on Athenian calendaring.

Meritt taught at a number of universities including University of Vermont, Brown University, University of Michigan, Princeton University and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. In 1935 he became a member of the faculty at the Institute for Advanced Study, a position he would hold until his retirement. That same year, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1938. In 1972, he moved with his wife, Lucy Shoe Meritt, to the University of Texas at Austin as a visiting professor. The following year she became a visiting professor as well.

Selected bibliography Benjamin Dean Meritt, H. T. Wade-Gery, and Malcolm Francis McGregor. 1939–1953. The Athenian tribute lists. 4 vol. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press. Benjamin Dean Meritt and John S. Traill. 1974. Inscriptions: the Athenian councillors. Princeton, N.J.: American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Hamilton College, Princeton University
Positions held
President of the Society for Classical Studies
Employers
Institute for Advanced Study, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, University of Vermont
Awards
Goodwin Award
Also known as
Benjamin D. Meritt, B. D. Meritt

People in Benjamin Dean Meritt's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Benjamin Dean Meritt's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Benjamin Dean Meritt?

American classical scholar and epigraphist (1899–1989)

When was Benjamin Dean Meritt born?

Benjamin Dean Meritt was born on 31 March 1899 in Durham.

When did Benjamin Dean Meritt die?

Benjamin Dean Meritt died on 7 July 1989 in Austin.

What was Benjamin Dean Meritt's occupation?

Benjamin Dean Meritt was an archaeologist, classical philologist, university teacher and epigrapher.

What nationality was Benjamin Dean Meritt?

Benjamin Dean Meritt was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Benjamin Dean Meritt

· Wikidata: Q817446

· DBpedia: Benjamin Dean Meritt

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Benjamin Dean Meritt. https://biography.guide/benjamin-dean-meritt/

MLA: "Benjamin Dean Meritt." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/benjamin-dean-meritt/.

Chicago: "Benjamin Dean Meritt." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/benjamin-dean-meritt/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:06 UTC