Course program
Strategies of sanctity. Rome and its martyr cults.
The advent of Christianity in Rome occurred at an early stage, with the religion establishing itself within a city where the sacred imprint of the ancient polytheistic religion was profoundly entrenched. The nascent religion underwent a process of gradual self-definition, at times supplanting and at times incorporating antecedent practices. In this transformation of the religious landscape, the cult of saints and martyrs played a pivotal role, exerting influence not only on the collective imagination but also on the conquest of urban and peri-urban space.
The course will illustrate the theme by drawing on ancient literary and material evidence (archaeological, iconographic, epigraphic, etc.). Visits to archaeological sites relevant to the topics covered will be made.
Prerequisites
Good language skills, the ability to understand written text and critically compare sources, as well as Basic knowledge of Ancient world
Books
1) Lecture slides (on classroom at the end of the course)
2. M. Simonetti, L’età antica, in Enciclopedia dei Papi, I, Roma, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 2000, pp. pp. 5-46
3. P. Siniscalco, Il cammino di Cristo nell’impero romano, Bari Laterza, 2009
Frequency
Attendance is highly recommended but not mandatory.
Exam mode
The assessment of the student's performance will take into account the clarity of presentation, accuracy and relevance of content, and correctness of expression. The oral examination is intended to ascertain whether the expected skills have been trained to the level required by the learning outcomes and whether the bibliography indicated has been adequately studied and understood.
Bibliography
G. ROMA, Uso e trasformazione degli spazi cultuali tra paganesimo e cristianesimo, in . Martiri, santi, patroni: per una archeologia della devozione. Atti X Congresso Nazionale di Archeologia Cristiana, t. 1, a cura di A. COSCARELLA- P. DE SANTIS, Università degli Studi della Calabria 2012, pp. 87-106 (disponibili in classroom alla fine del corso)
– D. NUZZO, La conversione a Roma in età costantiniana attraverso l’archeologia funeraria, in Costantino e i Costantinidi. L’innovazione costantiniana, le sue radici e i suoi sviluppi, Pars I, Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, Città del Vaticano, 2016, pp. 711-744
– L. Spera, I santuari di Roma dall’antichità all’altomedioevo: morfologie, caratteri dislocativi, riflessi della devozione, in Santuari d’Italia. Roma, DE LUCA EDITORI D’ARTE, Roma, 2012, pp.33-58
– L. Bartolomei, Note sulla forma degli spazi di culto per la liturgia cristiana in età tardoantica, in Architetture del sacro nel bacino adriatico, a cura di M. Tagliaferri EDB, Bologna, 2011, pp. 37-54
Lesson mode
Lectures, workshops, seminars, visits
