Louis Leschi (2 December 1893 – 7 January 1954) was a 20th-century French historian,

epigrapher Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...

and archaeologist, a specialist of ancient North Africa.

Biography

The son of academics, Louis Leschi followed himself an exemplary curriculum whose beginnings were interrupted by World War I. After his admission to the

École Normale Superieure École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

in 1919, he obtained his agrégation of history in 1922. He then was a member of the

École française de Rome The École française de Rome (EFR) is a French research institute for history, archaeology, and the social sciences; overseen by the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, and a division of the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et d ...

from 1922 to 1924. During this period of training, he followed the courses of

René Cagnat René Cagnat (10 October 1852 – 27 March 1937) was a French historian, a specialist of Latin epigraphy and history of North Africa during Antiquity. Biography On the death of his father, Léon Renier, a friend of the family, supported his ...

and

Jérôme Carcopino Jérôme Carcopino (27 June 1881 – 17 March 1970) was a French historian and author. He was the fifteenth member elected to occupy seat 3 of the Académie française, in 1955. Biography Carcopino was born at Verneuil-sur-Avre, Eure, son of a ...

. It was during his stay in the French school in Rome that he was sent to Algeria to Stéphane Gsell and found his vocation of archaeologist specializing in ancient Algeria. He was appointed a professor in high school in Algiers until 1932. He was then also associated to the research conducted by

Eugène Albertini Eugène Albertini (2 October 1880 – 15 February 1941) was a 20th-century French teacher in Latin literature, a historian of ancient Rome, especially for North Africa and an . He was a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres ...

and gave classes in 1926 at the Faculty. When Albertini was appointed to the

Collège de France The Collège de France (), formerly known as the ''Collège Royal'' or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment (''grand établissement'') in France. It is located in Paris ne ...

in 1932, Leschi succeeded him at the direction of the Department of Antiquities of North Africa. Leschi also succeeded him and Stéphane Gsell, as a teacher at the Faculty of Algiers, but only as detached high school teacher, his lack of doctoral thesis preventing him to get the chair of the Faculty. Dividing his time between teaching and intense activity in the context of his archaeological responsibilities, Leschi ultimately never supported his thesis. That did not prevent him from becoming a renowned scholar and exert a profound influence on the development of archeology in Algeria. In 1932, he was a member of the board of the Algerian Historical Society of which he became vice president in 1944. In 1942, he was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres. He died of illness in 1954 without being able to publish an expected account on ancient Numidia.

Work

From 1923, Louis Leschi left many scientific articles on archeology and epigraphy, some of which were taken up in a posthumous volume published in 1957. In addition to his articles in '' Comptes rendus des scéances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres'' (CRAI) and '' Mélanges de l'École française de Rome'' (MEFR), he published reports on Algerian archeology in the ''Revue africaine'' from 1933 to 1953. He also wrote large public works and archaeological guides, including one devoted to the site of Cuicul. He took part to the edition of the . His action as director of the antiquities service was marked by several important initiatives. With Colonel Baradez, he was the organizer and initiator of the practice of

aerial archaeology Aerial archaeology is the study of archaeological remains by examining them from a higher altitude. In present day, this is usually achieved by satellite images or through the use of drones. Details Aerial Archaeology involves interpretation an ...

in North Africa. In 1949 he supported the creation of a prehistoric anthropology laboratory at the

Bardo National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography The Bardo National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography ( ar, المتحف الوطني باردو, ''El-mathaf El-ouatani Bardo'', french: Musée National de Préhistoire et d'Ethnographie du Bardo) is a national museum located in Algiers, ...

. Among many operations as part of his service, he particularly supervised the excavation of

Hippo Regius Hippo Regius (also known as Hippo or Hippone) is the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba, Algeria. It historically served as an important city for the Phoenicians, Berbers, Romans, and Vandals. Hippo was the capital city of the Vandal King ...

led by M.E. Marec, followed those of Tebessa and Djemila, accompanied closely those of fort

Timgad Timgad ( ar, تيمقاد, links=, lit=, translit=Tīmgād, known as Marciana Traiana Thamugadi) was a Roman city in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. It was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan around 100 AD. The full name of the city was ''Colon ...

led by Godet. Leschi planned to publish a volume on the Byzantine fort. He led the excavations in

Lambaesis Lambaesis (Lambæsis), Lambaisis or Lambaesa (''Lambèse'' in colonial French), is a Roman archaeological site in Algeria, southeast of Batna and west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult. The former bishopric is also a La ...

where he discovered the first Roman military camp. He was one of the creators of the journal ''Libyca'' and contributed to the formation of many archaeologists including

Pierre Salama Pierre Salama (2 January 1917 – 2 April 2009) was a French historian and archaeologist, specialist of Roman roads in Africa as well as milestones. An epigrapher, numismatist, he was also a specialist of historical geography Historical geogr ...

Publications

Books

*1938: ''Djemila Cuicul de Numidie : toute une cité de l'Afrique romaine'', Algiers *1943: ''Le Centenarium d'Aqua Viva près de M'doukal (Commune mixte de Barika)'', Algiers, 22 p. *1950: ''Tipasa de Maurétanie'', Algiers, 53 p. *1952: ''Tablettes Albertini. Actes privés de l’époque vandale (fin du Ve)'', with C. Courtois, L. Leschi, C. Perrat, C. Saumagne, Paris *1952: ''Algérie antique'', with photographs by Marcel Bovis, 199 p. *1953: ''Djemila, antique Cuicul'', Algiers, 64 p. *1957: ''Études d'épigraphie, d'archéologie et d'histoire africaine'', Paris.

Articles (selection)

*1923: ''Correction à "Ephemeris Epigraphica"'', VIII, N°632, (MEFR), 40-1, (pp. 207–217) *1932: ''Le cimetière de Sainte-Salsa, à Tipasa de Maurétanie'' with Eugène Albertini, (CRAI), 76-1, (pp. 77–78) *1934: ''Reliquaires chrétiens du Vie siècle en Numidie'', (CRAI), 78-3, (pp. 236–245) *1935: ''Domitia Lucilla, mère de Marc-Aurèle'', (MEFR), 52-1, (pp. 81–94) *1937: ''Recherches aériennes sur le « limes'' romain de Numidie'', (CRAI), 81-3, (pp. 256-262) *1937: ''Une mosaïque achiléenne de Tipasa de Mauritanie'', (MEFR), 54-1, (pp. 25-41) *1941: ''Centenarium quod « Aqua Viva » appellatur…'', (CRAI), 85-2, (pp. 163-176) *1944: ''Inscription d’Arris (Aurès) en l’honneur de Masties'' with

, (CRAI), 88-1, (pp. 13-14) *1945: ''La carrière de Q. Marcius Turbo, préfet du prétoire d’Hadrien'', (CRAI), 89-1, (pp. 144-162) *1947: ''Découverte récente à Timgad : Aqua septimia felix'', (CRAI), 91-1, (pp. 87-99) *1947: ''Nouvelles recherches aériennes sur le "limes" d’Afrique'', (CRAI), 91-3, (pp. 512–517) *1947: ''L’album municipal de Timgad et l’"''ordo salutationis''" du consulaire Ulpius Mariscianus'', (CRAI), 91-3, (pp. 563–570
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*1949: ''Découvertes épigraphiques dans le camp de Gemellae (El-Kasbat, Algérie)'', (CRAI), 93-3, (pp. 220–226)

Bibliography

*1954: Albert Grenier, ''Éloge funèbre de M. Louis Leschi, correspondant français de l’Académie'', (CRAI), 98-1, (pp. 14–18
Read online
*1954: Marcel Durry, « Nécrologie : Louis Leschi », ''MEFR'', 66, (pp. 323–325) *1954: Jean Despois, « Louis Leschi 1893-1954 », ''Revue Africaine'', (pp. 27–40) *1999: Pierre Salama, « Tableaux de maîtres », in

Claude Lepelley Claude Lepelley (8 February 1934 – 31 January 2015
on DRACONTIUS) was a 20th-21st-century Fr ...

and Xavier Dupuy, ''Frontières et limites géographiques de l’Afrique du Nord antique, Hommage à Pierre Salama'', Publications de la Sorbonne, Paris, (pp. 295–297) *2004: Nabila Oulebsir, ''Les usages du patrimoine : monuments, musées et politique coloniale en Algérie (1830–1930)'', Maison des sciences de l'homme, Paris, (pp. 336–337) {{DEFAULTSORT:Leschi, Louis 20th-century French historians French scholars of Roman history French archaeologists French epigraphers École Normale Supérieure alumni Corresponding members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres People from Bastia 1893 births 1954 deaths 20th-century archaeologists