John Van Duyn Southworth (1904-1986) was a notable American educator and author born in in Syracuse, New York. He graduated from Harvard University and later earned a master's degree from Columbia University. His career included roles as an editor at the Iroquois Publishing Company and teaching positions at various institutions, including the Birch-Wathen School and Brunswick School, where he eventually became associate headmaster. He also served as dean and head of the history department at Hockaday Junior College in Texas before returning to publishing as president of Iroquois Publishing Company.
During his career as a freelance historian, he wrote 36 books. Most of his work consisted of textbooks dealing broadly with American and European history; however, several of these books focused on his lifelong passion: war at sea.
The Pirate from Rome was Southworth's sole attempt at fiction.