Mediterranean Archaeology

Activity type

Archeologia dell'età pre-protostorica, classica e medievale

SSD

L-ANT/06

Year

N/D

Semester

N/D

CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

MARIA CRISTINA BIELLA

Activity type

Archeologia dell'età pre-protostorica, classica e medievale

SSD

L-ANT/04

Year

N/D

Semester

N/D

CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

ANNALISA POLOSA

Ancient Numismatics is generally devoted to the history of ancient coins; but in ancient societies economic activities were performed, in many instances, without relying on struck coinage. The course has then the aim to examine non-monetary economies as well as the development of coinages in the Mediterranean area.
Despite the long tradition of studies in ancient Mediterranean economic history, minor attention has been given to the crucial area of pre-Roman Italy, whose tight and profound relation with wide sectors of the Mediterranean world (Phoenicians, Greeks, Iberian area...) is well known. The course will critically explore the economy of selected areas of preRoman Italy (8th – 1st BC), through different approaches to the study of material culture with the aim to investigate the underlying structures of the economic system (rules underpinning the economy of value, weight and measure systems, different kinds of transactions, …).

The course is aimed at providing knowledge on economic and monetary history in ancient times, and on their role as sources for history and archaeology.

no pre-condition required

Introduction on Ancient Numismatics and Economies.
Case study: commerce, economies and coin circulation

C. Howgego, Ancient history from coins, Routledge (2001)
Moses I. Finley, The ancient economy, University of California Press (1973)
R. Cantilena, La moneta in Grecia e a Roma. Appunti di numismatica antica, Bologna (Monduzzi) 2009.
F. Barello, Archeologia della moneta. Produzione e utilizzo nell'antichità, Roma (Carocci) 2006.
W.E. Metcalf (ed.), The Oxford handbook of Greek and Roman coinage, Oxford (Oxford University Press) 2012.

Michail Yu Treister, The Role of Metals in Ancient Greek History, Leiden-Boston 1996
Further bibliography will be provided during the course

lectures and seminars on specific topics

frequency is not mandatory
students not attending the course can agree on an alternative program with the teacher

The exam consists in an oral test on the general part of the course, and in a presentation on a topic to be agreed with the teacher

Athenian archaic monetary issues; the chronology of the denarius; structure of Augustan monetary system; incuse coinages of Magna Graecia; Alexander the Great's coins

• 1_Introduction to the course


• 2_A short introduction to pre-Roman Italy: physical geography and environment


• 3_The Sources of and for the Discipline (i)


• 4_The Sources of and for the Discipline (ii)


• 5_A very short introduction to the peoples of preRoman Italy: Towards an interpretative model


•  6_A short introduction to South Italy in pre-Roman times (i)


• 7_A short introduction to South Italy in pre-Roman times (ii)


• 8_A short introduction to Central Italy in pre-Roman times (i)


• 9_Towards an economic history of pre-Roman Italy: theory and practice


• 10_The artisans and the city (i)


• 11_The artisans and the city (ii)


• 12_13Outing to the Museum of Villa Giulia (Vulci, Caere)


• 14_15 Outing to the Museum of Villa GIulia (Faliscan and Capenate Sessions)


• 16_The inner regions and the non-urban model: notes of economy (i)


• 17_The inner regions and the non-urban model: notes of economy (ii)


• 18_Sanctuaries and votive offerings: towards an economic approach (i)


• 19_Sanctuaries and votive offerings: towards an economic approach (ii)


• 20_21_Towards a conclusion: una, nessuna e centomila economies