PROBLEMS OF BYZANTINE FILOLOGY

Course objectives

In consistency with the educational purposes of the whole teaching course, aim of the teaching unit is to give students knowledge and comprehension skills in the field of Byzantine Philology, that complete and/or reinforce those acquired in the first grade of studies. Moreover, it will make the students able to approach orginal themes in a research context, making more complex judgments, communicating knowledge and its process, and studying the subject in an independent and self-educational way. In particular, students will acquire advanced skills to use critical and methodological tools related to specific aspects of the history of the Byzantine civilization and of the medieval Greek language. Students will be able to read literary texts of the Byzantine era (starting from philological, linguistic, stylistic, historical and literary point of view) from a critical perspective and interpret them through modern methodology related to scientific discussion.

Channel 1
ANDREA LUZZI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
A. Some preliminary lessons as a general introduction to the discipline, notably on the following topics: I) periodization of Byzantine history and literature; II) Greek language through the centuries; III) pronunciation and main morphological, syntactic and lexical peculiarities of the medieval Greek. B. The Epigrams of Christophoros Mitylenaios (11th century) as historical source (reading, translation and historical-philological commentary of selected verses).
Prerequisites
Attendance at the module's classes requires a solid foundation in classical Greek.
Books
A. 1) A. Kambylis, Compendio della letteratura bizantina, in H.-G. Nesselrath, Introduzione alla filologia greca, Roma 2004, pp. 446-478; 2) N.G. Wilson, La filologia greca a Bisanzio, in H.-G. Nesselrath, Introduzione alla filologia greca, Roma 2004, pp. 131-144; 3) C. Mango, La civiltà bizantina, Roma-Bari 1991, introduction and chapters I, IV-V-VI-VII, X-XI-XII. B. Selected passages – reproduced in pdf – read, translated and commented in class from current critical edition of the text in program: M. De Groote, Christophori Mitylenaii Versuum Variorum Collectio Cryptensis, Turnhout 2012 (Corpus Christianorum. Series Graeca, 74).
Frequency
It is strongly recommended that students attend class sessions.
Exam mode
Verification of the skills acquired in class and with the study at home regarding what is indicated in the program and in the learning outcomes. In particular: synthesis capacity, knowledge of the details and ability to translate from Greek are required. The assessment method consists of an oral exam at the end of the lessons, by mark expressed on a scale from a minimum of 18 (the threshold to pass the exam) to the maximum of 30 (cum laude). Marks below 18 will be equivalent to insufficient assessment of learning.
Lesson mode
Frontal/traditional teaching in the classroom with the support of MS PowerPoint slide projection.
  • Lesson code1025352
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CoursePhilology, literatures and history of the ancient world
  • CurriculumFilologico e letterario
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDL-FIL-LET/07
  • CFU6