Rudolf Wachter

Rudolf Wachter is an emeritus scholar with dual academic affiliations at the University of Basel and the University of Lausanne. He held the position of Professor Extraordinary of Greek, Latin, and Indo-European Linguistics at the University of Basel (1997–2020) and Professeur Associé (Associate Professor) of Indo-European Historical Linguistics at the University of Lausanne (2006–2020), both part-time roles. His research focuses on epigraphy, historical linguistics, and the history of writing systems, particularly Greek, Latin, and Indo-European languages.

• Doctorate (Dr. Phil., 1987): University of Zürich, thesis: Altlateinische Inschriften
• Second doctorate (D. Phil., 1991): University of Oxford, thesis: Non-Attic Greek Vase Inscriptions

Research interests include the analysis of ancient inscriptions, historical linguistics, and the origins of alphabets. He has led projects such as the Attic Vase Inscriptions database. Awards include election to the Academy of Europe (2007) and a Swiss National Science Foundation fellowship.

Teaching experience spans institutions like University of Fribourg, Zürich, Heidelberg, and guest professorships in Mainz and Paris. Post-retirement, he focuses on local historical projects in the Swiss Alps.