BARTHELEMY, JEAN JACQUES (1716-1795), French writer and numismatist, was born in Cassis, Provence. In he became assistant to M. Gros de Boze, keeper of the royal collection of medals, and in 1753 succeeded him. In 1755 he accompanied the French ambassador, M. de Stainville, afterwards duc de Choiseul, to Italy, where he spent three years in archaeo logical research. Choiseul had a great regard for Barthelemy, and on his return to France, Barthelemy became an inmate of his house, and received valuable preferments from his patron.
Barthelemy was the author of a number of learned works on antiquarian subjects, but the great work on which his fame rests is Voyage du jeune Anacliarsis en Grece, viers le milieu du qua trierne siècle avant l'ere chretienne (1787). He began it in 1757 and worked on it for 3o years. The hero, a young Scythian,descended from the famous philosopher Anacharsis, is supposed to repair to Greece for instruction in his early youth, and after making the tour of her republics, colonies and islands, to return to his native country and write this book in his old age, of ter the Macedonian hero had overturned the Persian empire. In the manner of modern travellers, he gives an account of the customs, government and antiquities of the country he is supposed to have visited; a copious introduction supplies whatever may be wanting in respect to historical details; whilst various dissertations on the music of the Greeks, on the literature of the Athenians and on the economy, pursuits, ruling passions, manners and customs of the surrounding states supply ample information on the subjects of which they treat.