This study details the authors and content of 19th century historical novels, which contained plots built around the ancient world and which achieved success in Germany and America. By examining the extent of and basis for their popularity in both countries, Danis enriches the scholarship concerned with cultural crosscurrents, the historical novel, and popular literature. Contents: Introduction: The Professorenroman?; The Elusive Concept of the Historical Novel; The Historical Novel and Popular Literature; Literary Trends in the Late 19th Century; Influences on the 19th Century Historical Novel; Ebers, Dahn, and the Professorenroman; Die Anderen; Cui Bono?; A Note on the Translators and Their Translations; English-Language Translations of the Professorenroman.