Hermann Usener (1834–1905) was one of the most influential German classical scholars of the late 19th century. Professor at the University of Bonn, he combined textual criticism with broad interests in ancient religion, philosophy, and cultural history. His editions of Epicurus and Dionysius of Halicarnassus were landmarks, and his Religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchungen shaped the study of ancient religion for generations. Among his students were Wilamowitz-Moellendorff and Eduard Norden.

Usener's editions combine meticulous textual criticism with wide-ranging scholarly commentary. His approach was characterised by attention not only to the manuscript tradition but to the broader intellectual and cultural context of the texts he edited. The Teubner editions bearing his name represent some of the finest products of the German philological tradition.