Archaeology

PALMYRA AND THE PALMYRENES The course will begin with a detailed analysis of the history and evolution of the city of Palmyra, built in an oasis in the Syrian desert, with particular attention to its architectural, religious and cultural characteristics. It will then move on to analyse Palmyra's trade with the East, which made it a caravan city par excellence. Finally, it will examine the presence of Palmyrene communities in different regions of the empire, which maintained strong ties to their traditions while integrating into their new contexts.

Specific prerequisites do not exist. Students who already attended a course of Archaeology of Roman provinces previously will redact an essay aimed at deepening the main topics of the course; those who, on the contrary, never attended a course of Archaeology of Roman provinces will study the main topics on the textbook. Students not attending the lessons will easily study on the textbooks and on other specific texts that will be indicated by the professor.

Textbook (for the students who never attended a course of Archaeology of the Roman provinces): - S. Rinaldi Tufi, Archeologia delle Province Romane, Carocci editore, Roma 2012; or - G. Bejor, M.T. Grassi, S. Maggi, F. Slavazzi, Arte e archeologia delle province romane, Milano 2011. Other texts concerning the specific topics of the course will be suggested during the lessons.

The course foresees frontal lessons and seminars

The exam will be oral and will be held, after the conclusion of the course, in one single date, according to the exams’ calendar. The evaluation aims at understanding the effective attaining of the formative objectives by the student.

Frontal lessons