About Johann von Wowern
Lived 1574 – 1612 (aged 38). Johann von Wowern was a German literary scholar and lawyer.
Johann von Wowern was statesman, philologist, and lawyer from the Holy Roman Empire. He is known for his 1603 work De Polymathia tractatio: integri operis de studiis veterum, the first work in Western Europe to use the term "polymath" in its title. Wowern defined polymathy as "knowledge of various matters, drawn from all kinds of studies ... ranging freely through all the fields of the disciplines, as far as the human mind, with unwearied industry, is able to pursue them". Von Wowern lists erudition, literature, philology, philomathy and polyhistory as synonyms.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Johann von Wowern?
Flemish philologist (1574-1612)
When was Johann von Wowern born?
Johann von Wowern was born on 10 March 1574 in Hamburg.
When did Johann von Wowern die?
Johann von Wowern died on 30 March 1612 in Gottorf Castle.
What was Johann von Wowern's occupation?
Johann von Wowern was a literary scholar and lawyer.
What nationality was Johann von Wowern?
Johann von Wowern was German.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Johann von Wowern
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johann von Wowern. https://biography.guide/johann-von-wowern/
MLA: "Johann von Wowern." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johann-von-wowern/.
Chicago: "Johann von Wowern." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johann-von-wowern/.
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