Ludovico Antonio Muratori - Definition and Overview

Ludovico Antonio Muratori (1672 - 1750) was an Italian historian, notable as a leading scholar of his age, and for his discovery of the Muratorian fragment, the earliest known list of New Testament books.

Born at Vignola and ordained a priest, he spent much of his career as archivist and librarian at the ducal library in Modena, where he died. He edited the Rerum Italicarum scriptores (28 vol., 1723 – 1751) and Antiquitates Italicae medii aevii (6 vol., 1738–1742), both of which are important collections of sources, and wrote a history of Italy (1744 - 1749) in 12 volumes.

In 1950, Italy issued a postage stamp honoring him on the 200th anniversary of his death.