Archaeology

ANNALISA POLOSA

The course has the aim to provide students with knowledge on the monetary history of the ancient world; this will allow students to use numismatic sources in the frame of archaeological and historical research.

no prerequisites are required

Introduction to numismatics; introduction to economic history; methodology and tools; history of coinage (Asia Minor, Greece and the Greek world; Rome and the Roman world); case studies.

1 handbook to be chisen between:

R. Cantilena, La moneta in Grecia e a Roma. Appunti di Numismatica antica, Bologna (Monduzzi) 2008.

F. Barello, Archeologia della moneta. Produzione e utilizzo nell'antichità, Roma (Carocci) 2006).

C. Howgego, Ancient History from Coins,

to be completed by 2 chapters (one on Greek Numismatics, one on roman Numismatics) from:
W. E. Metcalf (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Coinage, Oxford 2012.

Further reading related with case studies or students’ individual projects will be provided during the course.

Lectures and seminars

Not mandatory. Students not attending the course are required to agree an alternative program with the teacher.

Assessment takes place at the end of the course through a seminar discussion on topics agreed upon with the teacher, and through a final oral exam designed to verify the student's acquisition of knowledge in the field of economic and monetary history of the ancient world.

When and where was coinage introduced in the Greek world; the structure of Athenian coinage; the chronology and organization of the Roman monetary system; recognition of coins examined during the lessons.

• introduction


• tools


• methodology


• non monetary economies


• exchange systems


• weight systems


• monetary systems: Greek world


• monetary systems: Roman World


• case studies