John Van Antwerp Fine

John Van Antwerp Fine (December 3, 1903 – January 17, 1987) was an American classical scholar and Ewing Professor of Greek Language and Literature at Princeton University. A specialist in ancient Greek history and institutions, he was known especially for his studies of Athenian land tenure and for his widely used survey The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History.

Early life and education Fine was born in Princeton, New Jersey. Fine attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, graduating cum laude in 1921 with honors in German and Latin. He graduated from Princeton University before earning his doctorate in classics at Yale University.

He retired from Princeton in 1972.

Fine died on January 17, 1987, at a nursing home in Princeton, New Jersey, at the age of 83. He was survived by his wife, a sister, two grandchildren, and his son John Jr.

Selected works Horoi: Studies in Mortgage, Real Security and Land Tenure in Ancient Athens The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History