The following essay discusses Theodore Bent and his wife, Mabel Bent.

Theodore and Mabel Bent, like many well-to-do Victorians, traveled extensively in Africa, southern Arabia, and Mediterranean regions, and together they produced four travel books documenting their experiences. Although the two traveled as a team and many of their observations were recorded in Mabel's journal and photographs, Theodore wrote the first three books, and Mabel wrote the final one after her husband's death. Having written several historical works before trying his hand at travel writing, Theodore's extensive footnoting and meticulous descriptions of archaeological ruins made him an unusually scholarly travel writer. His publications in forums such as the Journal of Hellenic Studies indicate that, although he had no formal archaeological training, he was recognized as a dedicated and learned amateur. The sometimes dry, detailed ethnographic descriptions common in his work earned less admiration from tourists and general readers...