ANGELA CINALLI

INFORMAZIONI SUI CORSI A.A. 2025/2026
I CORSI DI DIDATTICA DEL GRECO, LT LETTERE CLASSICHE (cod. 10589946) E DI LINGUA E LETTERATURA GRECA - TESTI E CONTESTI, LM ARCHEOLOGIA  (cod. ​​10620858) SI TERRANNO NEL II SEMESTRE con i seguenti orari: 
- DIDATTICA DEL GRECO, LT LETTERE CLASSICHE mercoledì 12-14 e venerdì 14-16
- LINGUA E LETTERATURA GRECA - TESTI E CONTESTI, LM ARCHEO mercoledì 10-12 e venerdì 12-14.

COURSE OF ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE I, LT CLASSICS, CIVILTÀ E LETTERATURE CLASSICHE L-10, I SEMESTER 2025/2026
The course of Ancient Greek Language – First Semester (cod. 10620633 OBBL.) will begin on Friday, October 3, 2025, from 12:00 to 14:00, Aula I Venturi. 
The course of Literary Production and Cultural Identities in the Mediterranean World – First Semester (cod. 10599012) is an equivalent course to Ancient Greek Language – First Semester (6 CFU).
The course will take place on:
Mondays 12-14, Aula II;
Fridays 12-14, Aula I Venturi.
Please register to this year Google Classroom using the code fpu3kzu5.

Important Notice for Erasmus and Exchange Students (in Sapienza for the First Semester ONLY):
Erasmus and Exchange students enrolled at Sapienza ONLY FOR ONE SEMESTER must take the exam of Literary Production and Cultural Identities in the Mediterranean World (cod. 10599012, 6 CFU, I semester).
They cannot take the exam of Ancient Greek Language, since it is a year-long course (12 CFU, I + II SEMESTER; I SEMESTER: PROF. A. CINALLI - II SEMESTER: PROF. I. ANDOLFI).

Please find below information on the Course Syllabus.
Docente: Angela Cinalli    
a.a.: 2025/2026 - I SEMESTRE
Settore L-ANT/02 - cod. 10620633, CFU 6: not recordable on InfoStud without the II semester's course - 

This course offers an introduction to ancient Greek language and it is the first of a two-parts learning process (I and II semester). The focus of this first semester course will consist in the fundamental bases of phonology, morphology and syntax of ancient Greek.
The course will break significant ground towards the goals of becoming gradually acquainted with grammatical and syntactical structures which form the core of Attic Greek and of familiarizing with language and style features. A systematic presentation of language forms and structures will converge with active teaching and learning in order to develop, support and boost skills in reading, comprehension and translation of sentences and eventually of short texts in ancient Greek. Students will be encouraged to explore the connections between linguistic features of Greek and modern languages which they already master. They analyze texts identifying the grammatical structures and gradually arrive at translating by contextualizing texts. Collaborative discourse is a vital element of this course and thus active presence in the classroom will be required. The course will draw in elements of Greek culture and offer plenty of opportunities to read and translate from ancient Greek and develop confidence in this area.

Course program
Frontal instruction (ca. 21 hours)- fluent reading; knowledge of phonological and morphosyntactic structures: in particular, the three declensions systems; pronouns; adjectives; adverbs; verbal formation, inflection, tense, aspect and uses (present, imperfect and future systems; active/middle-passive; indicative, imperative, infinitive, participles); introduction to the main linguistic and phonological phenomena and to primary aspects of syntax and sentence formation; word formation and knowledge of the lexicon (by semantic families and lexical fields).

Translation workshop (ca. 21 hours)- short-term drills: analyzing and translating sentences and short texts, focusing on adapted excerpts of mythological, historical and narrative subject; acknowledging and learning grammar and vocabulary; developing own and class bank of words; using print and electronic dictionaries to locate the appropriate meanings of words.

Course requirements 
The course assumes no previous knowledge of ancient Greek. Yet, students are strongly encouraged to introduce in their schedule homework and study from the beginning of the course. Keep pace with short-term drills is crucial for the successful completion of this course as it will consolidate knowledge and create the right skills to put to good use in the active participation to the didactics and in the final exam.

Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course students will be able to:
read, analyze, and translate from ancient Greek into English short texts that incorporate grammar theory and sentence structures;
apply knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and textual cues to identify, describe and interpret ancient Greek texts from a linguistic point of view;
access and evaluate appropriate resources (e.g. dictionaries, word lists, commentaries, grammar and syntax references) and properly use dictionaries to select appropriate meanings of ancient Greek words;
developing strategies for vocabulary building by applying knowledge of roots and derivatives;
acknowledging connections between texts and cultural contexts, exploring ways in which cultural values and perspectives are embedded in language and how language choices determine ways in which people and their ways of living are represented.

Method of instruction 
A systematic presentation of language forms will be complemented by a translation workshop. Short-term drills will be assigned in class and expected to be returned, according to the course schedule. As soon as it will be activated, students will profit of the tutoring support for short-term drills assigned in class.
A virtual Classroom, to which students will be invited to register, will be activated. That space will be used for internal communications, organization of the course materials and weekly exercises.

Teaching arrangements
Class attendance is STRONGLY recommended as maintaining a systematic learning pace (understanding – practicing – consolidating) is essential to develop the objectives of this course. In order to master ancient Greek language, it is important to introduce its study into educational schedule, hence students are strongly encouraged to allow an adequate time for homework.
Ancient Greek is a fascinating but also a very demanding language: active teaching and learning is crucial in order to support and boost a productive learning process.
As for the starting date, the calendar of classes and their location, please consult the section Notizie on Prof. Cinalli personal page.

Evaluation criteria
The final exam will consist of two parts, written (two parts, I and II semester 6+6 CFU) and oral, with the aim to evaluate:
- knowledge and understanding of ancient Greek language in recognizing a basic vocabulary by using roots, derivatives and word lists and in summing up the crucial points of morphology and syntax;
- exploitation of linguistic knowledge, so as to be skilled at:
translating with consistency, acknowledging the grammar structures, textual connectives and keywords, and thoroughly interpreting Greek texts
effectively describing the specific function of words, expressions, systems of language and pointing out the powerful influence of ancient Greek language and culture;
- ability to learn through continuatively developing processes, problem-solving strategies and a good degree of independence of thought and of critical thinking.

Written exam (I part of two, I semester) - students will be asked to demonstrate the acquired ability in a written exercise of translation from ancient Greek to English (duration 120 minutes). The exam will be evaluated according to the following criteria: knowledge of vocabulary, of accidence and syntax and of linguistic cues and their exploitation; understanding of the text and translation competence.
Oral exam – students will be asked to demonstrate mastery of the Greek language (vocabulary, morphology, syntax) and to be able to exploit structured communication skills in an oral presentation on specific contents. The oral exam will be held jointly with Professor I. Andolfi (holding the II semester's course) and is mandatory for the certification of the entire course (12 CFU).

Example
Written exam (part I): Translation into English of a text in ancient Greek. Use of dictionary allowed.
Oral exam: questions concerning grammar unities covered in the course. According to selected texts, students will describe and analyze grammatical features, propose a translation and an overall contextualization.

Required Reading and Tools
Ancient Greek Grammar: C.A.E. Luschnig, An Introduction to Ancient Greek: A Literary Approach, (2nd edition) 2007 or, in alternative, D.J. Mastronarde, Introduction to Attic Greek, Berkeley 2013.
Morwood, J. – Taylor, J., The Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary, Oxford 2002. To be integrated with the H.G. Liddell-R. Scott, Greek English Lexicon or F. Montanari, GE The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek. 
Students will be supplied with additional materials and forms (to be gradually uploaded in the Classroom)

Syllabus
History of the Ancient Greek language (in brief)
Alphabet, pronunciation, accents
Articles
First and second declension nouns and adjectives
Present active of indicative verbs including compound verbs, infinitive and imperative mood
The middle voice
Introduction to contract verbs
Main linguistical phenomena (e.g. enclitics, elision, crasis, phonological laws)
Adverbs, prepositions, negation
Irregular verbs: εἰμί
Third declension nouns and adjectives (types, irregularities)
Pronouns (interrogative, indefinite, relative indefinite, reciprocal, personal and reflexive)
Imperfect: active and middle-passive, contract forms
Participle present, active and middle-passive.

Previous results of the written exams of ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, LT CLASSICS 
A.A. 2024/2025 
Results of the written exam ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (cod. 10595680 OBBL. (CLASSICS) I Semester A.A. 2024-2025: 12/02/2025
matricola 2168020 28/30
matricola 2176681 27/30
matricola 2194890 25/30
matricola 2110363 26/30 
matricola 2199005 failed
matricola 2177035 26/30
matricola 2188450 failed
matricola 2109863 failed
matricola 2175821 21/30
matricola 2168406 18/30
matricola 2175593 25/30
 
Results of the written exam ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (cod. 10595680 OBBL. (CLASSICS) I Semester A.A. 2024-2025: 29/01/2025
matricola 2215330 29/30
matricola 2175593 failed
matricola 2183423 30/30
matricola 2170822 28/30
matricola 2176682 29/30
matricola 2176050 30/30
matricola 2189309 30/30
matricola 2164187 30/30
matricola 2194890 failed
matricola 2177035 23/30
matricola 2176145 25/30
matricola 1964614 28/30
matricola 2085559 29/30
matricola 2175821 failed
matricola 2180510 failed
matricola 2175820 22/30
matricola 2168083 24/30
matricola 2173561 failed
 
Results of the written exam ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (cod. 10595680 OBBL. (CLASSICS) I Semester A.A. 2024-2025: 15/01/2025
matricola 2089411 31/30
matricola 2177035 failed
matricola 2175820 failed
matricola 2176145 23/30
matricola 2175821 failed
matricola 2111020 failed
matricola 2100683 failed
matricola 2184914 22/30
matricola 2173333 failed
matricola 2176168 28/30
matricola 2181417 27/30
matricola 2175353 30/30
matricola 2175819 29/30
matricola 2163905 18/30 (barely sufficient)
matricola 2175676 18/30
matricola 2195527 failed
matricola 2194890 failed
 
A.A. 2023/2024
Results of the written exam, Ancient Greek Language (cod. 10595680” OBBL. II semester), September 9th 2024: 
2105520 23/30
Results of the written exam, Ancient Greek Language (cod. 10595680” OBBL. II semester), June 13th 2024: 
2114626 18/30
Results of the written exam, Ancient Greek Language (cod. 10595680” OBBL. II semester), June 13th 2024: 
2140410 (12 CFU) 20/30
2121377 18/30
2112206 28/30
2111003 23/30
2120808 (12 CFU) failed
2119543 29/30
2114626 failed
2043939 28/30 
Results of the written exam, Ancient Greek Language (cod. 10595680” OBBL. II semester), May 20 2024: 
2121860: 24/30
2099327: 27/30
2154655: 28/30
2128090: 21/30
2129282: 28/30
2113080: 22/30
2040095: 28/30
2031450: 30/30
2113617: 20/30
2046431: 18/30
2129428: 18/30
2114626: failed
 
2118033 (12 CFU): failed
18899356 (12 CFU): 28/30
2120808 (12 CFU): failed
2118033 (12 CFU): failed
2107900 (12 CFU): 18/30
   
RESULTS OF THE WRITTEN EXAM OF ANCIENT GREEK LANGUAGE (CLASSICS, I SEMESTER), February 8th 2024
2114626: 18/30 (barely sufficient)*
2140410: unsatisfactory, failed
2113617: 20/30
2120003: unsatisfactory, failed
2111046: 18/30 (barely sufficient)*
2107910: 18/30 (barely sufficient)*
2118033: unsatisfactory, failed
2105520: 19/30
2157960: unsatisfactory, failed
2051221: unsatisfactory, failed
2133855: unsatisfactory, failed
2046431: 21/30
2111003: 20/30
2107900: unsatisfactory, failed
2119543: 25/30
 
2124783 (Erasmus): 18/30
 
* please note that the "barely sufficient" results need to accomplish full achievement in the second written test in order to access the final oral part of the exam.   
 
 
 

Angela Cinalli è ricercatrice a tempo determinato -tipologia B- (RtdB) in Lingua e Letteratura Greca (L-FIL-LET/02) presso Sapienza, Università di Roma.
Si è laureata presso l'Università "G.D'Annunzio" di Chieti (2005) e ha conseguito il dottorato in Filologia e Storia del Mondo Antico presso l'Università Sapienza (2012). Si è specializzata in Paleografia Greca presso la Scuola Vaticana di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica. È stata borsista presso l'École Française d'Athènes e ha ottenuto assegni di ricerca post-dottorali presso il Center for Epigraphical and Paleographical Studies, The Ohio State University (2013) e il Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University (2014). La collaborazione con il CHS Harvard, proseguita negli anni successivi alla Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, ha offerto un solido quadro di continuità scientifica e accademica, all’interno del quale è maturato il progetto Marie-Skłodowska Curie Global Fellowship (PTANOIS POSIN project, nr. 843186), condotto in collaborazione tra Sapienza, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità e il CHS Harvard (aprile 2020-marzo 2023).
Nel 2021 ha ottenuto, con giudizio unanime della Commissione, l'Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale a Professoressa di II fascia in Lingua e letteratura greca (Bando D.D. 2175/2018, Settore Concorsuale 10/D2, L-FIL-LET/02).
Svolge l'attività di peer reviewer per diverse riviste scientifiche (Greek and Roman Musical Studies, Mnemosyne; Rivista di Filologia Antica e Medievale, Axon) e istituzioni di ricerca.
La sua principale attività di ricerca, sviluppata nel quadro del progetto MSCA-IF-GF e sostenuta anche grazie al supporto dell'AIEGL Géza Alföldy Research Award (2018), è incentrata sullo studio delle arti performative e della letteratura itinerante di età ellenistica, con l'obiettivo di ricostruire attraverso le fonti epigrafiche, un capitolo fondamentale della storia della cultura e del costume, che pertiene al patrimonio letterario e para-letterario sommerso o perduto. Su questi temi ha pubblicato numerosi contributi e la monografia "ΠΤΑΝΟΙΣ ΠΟΣΙΝ. Poeti vaganti, intellettuali e musici del periodo ellenistico, I. Delo e le Cicladi", «Quaderni dei Seminari Romani di Cultura Greca» 31, Quasar ed., 2022, che ha ricevuto il Premio "Giancarlo Susini" VI edizione promosso da "Epigraphica. Periodico internazionale di epigrafia". Il secondo volume, dedicato alle testimonianze di età ellenistica della cultura itinerante provenienti dal santuario di Delfi, è in fase di preparazione, insieme ad altri contributi che riguardano le prassi e gli spazi performativi, la conservazione dei testi, la trasmissione della memoria culturale e la musica antica. In quest'ultimo ambito la ricerca beneficia anche della sua formazione musicale conseguita presso il Conservatorio "S. Cecilia" di Roma.
Altre linee di ricerca, sviluppate attraverso collaborazioni e attività sul campo, riguardano le prassi epigrafiche e la cultura funeraria di Cirene e Cipro. Ha collaborato, con diversi studi e la pubblicazione di iscrizioni inedite derivanti da nuove scoperte e ricognizioni, alle Missioni Archeologiche in Cirenaica e Cipro condotte dall'Università "G. D'Annunzio" di Chieti. Nel 2015 ha pubblicato la monografia "Τὰ ξένια. La cerimonia ufficiale di ospitalità cittadina", «Collana Studi e Ricerche 27, Studi Umanistici – Antichistica», Sapienza Università Editrice, Roma.

Angela Cinalli is a is a Researcher in Greek Language and Literature (RtdB, L-FIL-LET/02) at Sapienza University.
She graduated from the University of "G. D’Annunzio" of Chieti in 2005 and earned her Ph.D. in Philology and History of the Ancient World from Sapienza University in 2012. She further specialized in Greek Paleography at the Vatican School of Paleography, Diplomatics, and Archival Studies.
Cinalli was awarded a research fellowship at the École Française d’Athènes and held postdoctoral research positions at the Center for Epigraphical and Paleographical Studies at The Ohio State University (2013) and the Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University (2014). Her collaboration with the CHS at Harvard continued beyond the initial postdoctoral appointment and laid the foundation for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Fellowship (PTANOIS POSIN project, no. 843186), conducted between April 2020 and March 2023 in cooperation between the Department of Ancient Sciences at Sapienza and the Center for Hellenic Studies.
In 2021, she was awarded the National Scientific Qualification (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) for Associate Professorship (II Fascia) in Greek Language and Literature (Bando D.D. 2175/2018, Sector 10/D2, L-FIL-LET/02), with unanimous approval by the examining committee.
Cinalli serves as a peer reviewer for several academic journals and research institutions, including Greek and Roman Musical Studies, Mnemosyne, Rivista di Filologia Antica e Medievale, and Axon.
Her principal line of research—developed within the framework of the MSCA-IF-GF project and also supported by the AIEGL Géza Alföldy Research Award (2018)—focuses on the performative arts and itinerant literature of the Hellenistic period. Through epigraphic sources, her work aims to reconstruct a significant yet largely submerged chapter in the cultural and literary history of the ancient world. On these themes, she has authored numerous contributions, including the monograph ΠΤΑΝΟΙΣ ΠΟΣΙΝ. Poeti vaganti, intellettuali e musici del periodo ellenistico, I. Delo e le Cicladi («Quaderni dei Seminari Romani di Cultura Greca» 31, Quasar ed., 2022), which was awarded the sixth edition of the “Giancarlo Susini Prize” promoted by Epigraphica. Periodico internazionale di epigrafia.
She is currently preparing the second volume of the project, focused on itinerant cultural expressions of the Hellenistic period attested at the sanctuary of Delphi, alongside additional studies on performance practices and spaces, textual preservation, cultural memory transmission, and ancient music. In this latter field, her research also benefits from her musical education at the Conservatorio “S. Cecilia” in Rome.
Further research interests, developed through fieldwork and collaborative projects, concern epigraphic practices and funerary culture in Cyrene and Cyprus. Cinalli has contributed several studies and published inscriptions resulting from recent discoveries and surveys carried out within the archaeological missions of the University of "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti in Cyrenaica and Cyprus.
In 2015, she published the monograph Τὰ ξένια. La cerimonia ufficiale di ospitalità cittadina (Collana Studi e Ricerche 27, Studi Umanistici – Antichistica, Sapienza University Press, Rome).