Education
Heinrich Nissen studied in Kiel under Karl Wilhelm Nitzsch and in Berlin under August Boeckh and Theodor Mommsen.
archaeologist historian university professor
Heinrich Nissen studied in Kiel under Karl Wilhelm Nitzsch and in Berlin under August Boeckh and Theodor Mommsen.
After graduating, he travelled in Italy between 1863 and 1867. This research was later published as the major work, Italischen Landeskunde (1883 and 1902). In 1877 he relocated to the University of Göttingen as a professor of ancient history, and soon afterwards, served as a professor at Strasbourg.
In 1884, he was elected as the successor to Arnold Schaefer at the University of Bonn.
There, unlike his predecessor, he exclusively taught ancient history. He also pioneered epigraphic research at Bonn - based upon his study during his years in Italy - and was dedicated to Roman provincial archaeology.
Nissen is acclaimed at possibly being the first archaeoastronomer in the world. He retired in autumn 1911, succeeded by Ulrich Wilcken.
After his death he was buried in the Poppelsdorfer Friedhof (Poppelsdorfer Cemetery).
Prussian Academy of Sciences. German Archaeological Institute. Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities.