The article is devoted to the study of the issue of studying at the Prince Bezborodko Nizhyn Historical and Philological Institute of the famous classical philologist, diplomat, teacher and organiser of science, Professor Lev Dmytrovych Tarasov in 1905-1909. The name of this prominent scholar is still poorly understood in the national literature. In the foreign historiography, the «Nizhyn» period of L. Tarasov's life and studies is covered rather superficially. The study presents interesting facts from the personal life of the future scientist. Based on a wide range of archival sources, the authors managed to recreate the personal and student life of L. Tarasov in provincial Nizhyn during the First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907. After graduating from a Moscow gymnasium, due to the family's difficult financial situation, he was forced to choose the Institute of History and Philology in the county town of Chernihiv province, where students were supported on a full state board. His arrival in Nizhyn coincided with the beginning of the revolutionary events that swept the entire empire. The city witnessed the first student strike in support of the revolution in Ukraine and a bloody Jewish pogrom, which was the first in a series of such events in the Chernihiv region. L. Tarasov took an active part in these events and suffered physical violence from the pogromists.

The authors come to the conclusion that his scientific interests as a future scientist were formed in Nizhyn under the influence of the institute's professor M. Mandes, who became his scientific advisor and continued to advise him after his departure from Nizhyn. The history of the development of Roman satire in the period of antiquity (the topic of his main scientific works and dissertation) was chosen in Nizhyn under the influence of his mentor.

The article examines another episode in Tarasov's life that led to his forced expulsion from the institute. It was an interpersonal conflict with his classmate D. Zhuiev. During his studies in Nizhyn, and perhaps as a result of the tumultuous events of 1905, Tarasov's health deteriorated significantly and he began to show the first signs of neurasthenia, a disease that accompanied him throughout his life. A domestic dispute with a roommate in the dormitory escalated into a conflict, as a result of which Tarasov reported an attempt to kill him. As a result of the «investigation» conducted by the institute's management, both parties to the conflict were forced to apply for expulsion. Tarasov was forced to transfer to the St Petersburg Institute of History and Philology.

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