Andreas Skias - Archaeologist

THE FIERCE OPPONENT OF THE VERNACULAR

Andreas Skias was an archaeologist and university professor of the 19th and 20th century, a fierce opponent of the vernacular. He was born in 1861 in Kalamata, while he came from an Avia family of Exo Mani. In 1878, he enrolled in the Philosophy Department of the University of Athens and in 1884 he graduated with honors. He continued his studies in Germany. In particular, he studied at the University of Berlin and Leipzig, as well as at the Technical University of Munich. In 1884, he was appointed a teacher at the High School of Kalamata and a year later at the Commercial School of Halki. Also, in 1890, he was awarded a Doctorate. In 1895, he was appointed Curator of Antiquities, a position he served until 1910. In the same year he was appointed professor of Greek Literature at the Philosophy Department of the University of Athens.

He was Vice President of the Hellenic Teachers' Association, Chairman of the Committee of the Folklore Archive, Advisor of the Christian Archaeological Society (ASE), as well as a member of many other companies. He carried out archeological excavations in Gythio and Elefsina. He wrote many books, articles and dissertations of his specialty, such as "Elementary metrics of ancient Greek poetry", "On the Cretan dialect", "The true character of the so-called language issue", etc. Towards the end of his life he donated his library to the University of Athens. He died in 1922, at the age of 61.