Philology, literatures and history of the ancient world

The course will be dealing with a number of epigraphic texts related to the IVth-VIth century CE, that will be analyzed in depth in chronological order, and from different view points (changes in the language, characteristic formulas, relation with the archaeological sources, themes of the storiographic debate). The reception of these themes in modern times will be also discussed.

A good knowledge of Roman history and Latin epigraphy

B. Ward Perkins, La caduta di Roma e la fine della civiltà, Laterza

Attending the lessons and the field trips is not mandatory, but warmly suggested. Students who are not able to attend are invited to contact the teacher for bibliographic suggestions.

The evaluation will be made through a conversation including questions about inscriptions and themes discussed during the lessons and included in the related bibliography.

Many other materials will be shared with students through the Classroom platform.

The traditional lessons, held by the teacher and by some invited scholars, will be enriched by a number of field trips to the epigraphic collections where late Roman materials are preserved.

The course unit presents the main features of  Latin epigraphy and the methodology for the study and interpretation of  Latin inscriptions as archaeological artifacts and primary historical sources. Syllabus: Introduction to Latin epigraphy (3 hours); history of epigraphical studies (4 hours); forgeries and fakes (2 hours); Latin Epigraphy: the main types of inscriptions (inscriptions with religious content; honorific inscriptions; funerary inscriptions; building inscriptions; graffiti and tituli picti; official inscriptions; instrumentum domesticum). Structures and form (12 hours); social structure of the Roman world and cursus (8 hours); Roman governement and administration (8 hours); Roman onomastics (2 hours); paleography (1 hour); Epigraphy and Digital Resources (2 hours). If possible, a part of the activities will be at the National Roman Museum - Epigraphic Museum.

1) A. Buonopane, Manuale di epigrafia latina, Roma 2020 2) Testi epigrafici letti e commentati a lezione. I contenuti dei seguenti testi saranno illustrati durante il corso: - G.Poma, Le istituzioni politiche del mondo romano, Il Mulino, Bologna 2002, pp. 1-118; - F. Jacques – J. Scheid, Roma e il suo impero. Istituzioni, economia, religione, Bari 1992.

It is scheduled a test at the end of the course unit. It is an oral exam with open-ended questions. The student must demonstrate that he has achieved the expected learning outcomes in relation to the various parts of the modules, as described in the section Syllabus. The oral exam of Latin Epigraphy will consist in verify the ability to read the epigraphic texts analyzed during the course; ability to translate and understand them; ability to apply basic knowledge of the discipline for the historical interpretation of the same texts. In order to obtain an evaluation of 30/30 cum laude, the student must demonstrate that he has acquired in an excellent way the expected learning outcomes.

The course units of Greek and Latin epigraphy will consist in a series of frontal lessons (lecture-style approach)