Edith Hamilton was an American educator and internationally known author, celebrated for her role as one of the most distinguished classicists of her era in the United States. Born on August 12, 1867, Hamilton's academic journey began at Bryn Mawr College, followed by further studies in Germany at the University of Leipzig and the University of Munich.

Hamilton embarked on her professional path as an educator, rising to the position of head of the Bryn Mawr School, a private college preparatory school for girls in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite her impactful career in education, Hamilton is most recognized for her insightful essays and bestselling books on ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

Her transition to a second career as an author occurred after she retired from the Bryn Mawr School in 1922, at the age of sixty-two. Her first book, The Greek Way, was published in 1930 and became an instant success, even being featured as a selection by the Book-of-the-Month Club in 1957. Hamilton's other notable works include The Roman Way (1932), The Prophets of Israel (1936), Mythology (1942), and The Echo of Greece (1957).

Critics have praised Hamilton's books for their vibrant interpretations of ancient cultures, describing her as the classical scholar who brought the Golden Age of Greek life and thought into sharp and luminous focus with a Homeric power and simplicity in her writing style. Her works continue to influence modern lives by offering a realization of the refuge and strength found in the past to those in the troubled present. Hamilton's legacy is further cemented by her sister, Alice Hamilton, an expert in industrial toxicology and the first woman appointed to the faculty of Harvard University.