Badius Ascensius, Jodocus (1461/2–1535)

Flemish-born French scholar and printer. In 1503 he opened a publishing house in Paris and during the next 30 years produced over 800 books, among them the early works of the Dutch scholar Erasmus. His finely edited works in Greek and Latin played an important role in furthering Renaissance humanism in France.

He was born at Aasche, near Ghent, and studied in Ghent, Louvain, and Bologna. In 1492 he settled in Lyons to teach Greek and there became an editor for the printer Jean (Johann) Trechsel (died 1498), whose daughter he had married. While working for Trechsel he published in 1492 an edition of the orations of Philippus Beroaldus which was the first Lyons book printed in roman type, then known as ‘Italian type’. His illustrated edition of the works of the Roman writer Terence, first published in 1493, was reprinted over and over again. He moved to Paris in 1499 and worked there in association with the printer Jean Petit before starting on his own in 1503.

The designs of Badius's books sometimes used title-page borders modelled on those of manuscripts. A fine example is his 1511 edition of Cicero. His translation of Thucydides (1528) was printed in type bought from the printer Froben of Basel.

He also wrote books, which include a life of the German mystic Thomas à Kempis, and a satire on women.

Badius was succeeded by his son-in-law, Robert Estienne, one of the greatest French scholar-printers.