Helvicus (Helwig)

was born Dec. 26, 1581, at Sprendlingen, Darmstadt, where his father was minister. He studied at Marburg, and was able to teach Hebrew at twenty. It is said that he spoke Hebrew as freely as his mother tongue. In 1605 he was made professor of Greek and Hebrew at the School of Giessen, which in 1606 was erected into a university by the landgrave. In 1610 he was made professor of divinity. He died Sept. 10, 1617. His most important work is Theatrum Historicum et Chronologicum sive Chronologiae Systema novum (1610, often reprinted, and translated into English); also a Chronologia Universalis (1612).