Karl Benedikt Hase was among the French scholars most actively engaged in the early scientific missions to Algeria. As part of his responsibilities advising the Commission Scientifique pour l’Exploration de l’Algérie from his role within the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Hase visited French Algeria in 1839.

Based on her work on Hase’s Greek diary for the LAGOOS project, Chiara Telesca has just published an article on Hase’s journey to Algeria, which has been published in the International Journal for the Classical Tradition:

Telesca, Chiara, “Karl Benedikt Hase’s Journey to Algeria. Notes from the Diary of 1839.” Int class trad (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12138-025-00725-0

Chiara’s article reconstructs Hase’s itinerary on his trip — challenging due to
cryptic transliterations — to assess whether his travels align with established routes and reflect his scholarly priorities as an editor of epigraphic finds. The study examines (1) the sites visited in relation to Hase’s academic interests; (2) the motivations behind his journey within the context of the ‘Commission Scientifique pour l’Exploration de l’Algérie’, supported by archival correspondence; and (3) his interaction with the Maghreb, considering the influence of French colonialism. By situating this the evidence from Hase’s Greek diary within colonial and political frameworks, the article offers fresh perspectives on Hase’s role as both scholar and colonial agent.