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175 Makers of History: Moses Hadas

Moses Hadas 22C 56H
Scholar of the Classics

Moses Hadas could be considered one of the first public intellectuals. Credited with establishing a critical literary approach to the study of classics during his long tenure with Columbia University, he was an early adopter of the power of television to educate, becoming a lecturer and commentator on the small screen.

In 1930 he wrote the still-definitive treatment of Sextus Pompey for his doctoral dissertation at Columbia. Fluent in seven languages, including ancient Greek and Hebrew, German, and Latin, Hadas was a civilian employee of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, working in the eastern Mediterranean.

He was a strong proponent of classical education in a world he regarded as too materialistic and technological.