Born in France in 1790, Champollion and could speak Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Chaldean and Syrian by the age of 14. By 19, Champollion was a History lecturer at Grenoble
University. Translated the Rosetta Stone in 1821 and subsequently became the first expert in Ancient Egyptians' hieroglyphics. Died in 1832 aged 42 after founding the Egyptology department at the Louvre musuem in Paris.