The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Becker, Wilhelm Gottlieb

'''BECKER. I. Wilhelm Gottlieb,''' a German archæologist, born at Oberkallenberg, Nov. 4, 1753, died in Dresden, June 3, 1813. He studied at the university of Leipsic, was a teacher in Dessau, and became professor at the Dresden art academy (Ritterakademie) in 1782, director of the gallery of antiquities and of the numismatic museum in 1795, and of the green vaults in 1805. He edited the Encomium Moriæ of Erasmus (Lob der Narrheit, Basel, 1780), and published the works of Holbein (Berlin, 1781). His principal works are: Augusteum, Dresdens antike Denkmäler enthaltend (2 vols., Dresden, 1805-'9; new and enlarged ed., 1832-'7, with 162 engravings), and an illustrated work on the coins of the middle ages in the Dresden numismatic museum (Leipsic, 1813). '''II. Wilhelm Adolf,''' son of the preceding, born in Dresden in 1796, died in Meissen, Sept. 30, 1846. He was professor of classical archæology at the university of Leipsic. His Gallus (3d ed., 2 vols., Leipsic, 1863) and Charicles (2d ed., 3 vols., 1854) have been translated into English by the Rev. Frederick Metcalfe, with notes (London, 1844 and 1854).

In these works the life, manners, and customs of the ancient Greeks and Romans are admirably depicted, accompanied by learned and elaborate excursuses. His principal work is Handbuch der römischen Alterthümer, completed after his death by Marquardt (5 vols., 1843-'64).