Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa

Title: Thus Spoke the King This course explores the communicative strategies embedded in the royal inscriptions of ancient Iran, focusing on both Achaemenid (6th–4th century BCE) and Sasanian (3rd–7th century CE) material. These inscriptions convey a wide range of meanings, addressing historical events, religious beliefs, and political agendas. At the same time, their monumental presence shaped dynastic spaces that functioned as epicenters of cultural memory and ideological expression. The representation of kingship and sovereign authority through epigraphy is essential to understanding key aspects of the Iranianate socio-political context and its interactions with neighbouring cultures. Throughout the course, the epigraphic material will be examined from multiple perspectives, including linguistic and content analysis, spatial and landscape context, and associated iconography. Class material (texts; images; slides ecc.) will be shared with the students through elearning.uniroma1.it/ (EPIGRAPHY OF ANCIENT IRAN). Info teacher: https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/gianfilippoterribili/home?authuser=0

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material given during the class and the following texts: - Huyse, Ph. (2009). Inscriptional Literature in Old and Middle Iranian, in Emmerick R.E. & Macuch M. (eds.), The Literature of Pre-Islamic Iran. A History of Persian Literature XVII, London & New York, pp. 72-115. -Canepa M.P. (2015), Inscriptions Royal Spaces and Iranaian Identity, Epigraphic Practices in Persia and the Ancient Iranian World, in Eastmond, E. (ed.), Viewing Inscriptions in the Late Antique and Medieval World, Cambridge, pp. 10-35. - Canepa M.P. (2021), Sculpting in Time: Rock Reliefs, Inscriptions, and the Transformation of Iranian Memory and Identity, in J. Ben-Dov and F. Rojas, Afterlife of Ancient Rock-cut Monuments in the Near East, Leiden, pp. 221-271.

The course will start in the first semester (.....): .... Aula .... (Dip. ....). Office time Thursday h…., contact: gianfilippo.terribili@uniroma1.it Class subjects deal with the following scheme: Languages and writings of ancient Iran. The Achaemenid inscriptions; texts and contexts. The Sasanian inscriptions; texts and contexts.

class attendance

The exams take place at Studio 3, third floor, Faculty of Humanities. The evaluation takes into consideration the following criteria: - learning and understanding of the key concepts - reading of a text analysed during class - analytical skills in interpreting the contents and material explored during class

- Huyse, Ph. (2009). Inscriptional Literature in Old and Middle Iranian, in Emmerick R.E. & Macuch M. (eds.), The Literature of Pre-Islamic Iran. A History of Persian Literature XVII, London & New York, pp. 72-115. -Canepa M.P. (2015), Inscriptions Royal Spaces and Iranaian Identity, Epigraphic Practices in Persia and the Ancient Iranian World, in Eastmond, E. (ed.), Viewing Inscriptions in the Late Antique and Medieval World, Cambridge, pp. 10-35. - Canepa M.P. (2021), Sculpting in Time: Rock Reliefs, Inscriptions, and the Transformation of Iranian Memory and Identity, in J. Ben-Dov and F. Rojas, Afterlife of Ancient Rock-cut Monuments in the Near East, Leiden, pp. 221-271. Alternative thematic subjects must be discussed in advance with the professor: gianfilippo.terribili@uniroma1.it.

The course will begin in the first semester, starting on Tuesday, October 7. Lectures will be held on Tuesdays from 2 PM to 4 PM (Room F) and Thursdays from 2 PM to 4 PM (Room E). Office hours: Fridays from 10 AM to 12 PM. Email contact: gianfilippo.terribili@uniroma1.it The class includes introductory lectures, ongoing tests, moments of discussion with and between students The material analysed will be shared through https://elearning.uniroma1.it/