75993 - Classical Literary Sources for the Study of Cultural Heritage

Learning outcomes

The student will learn to use classical literary sources for the study of the archaeological, historical and artistic cultural heritage. The student will learn classical tradition and mythology, their cultural, symbolic and narrative elements, as well as their persistence in the history of ideas and culture.

Course contents

Themes:

1. Introduction to the notion of cultural heritage and its origins in the classical literary sources; Classical tradition and its persistence in modern and contemporary culture.

2. Mythical narratives of the classical civilisation and the function of myth in the organisation of society and thought, as well as in the construction of behavioural models and shared values; tradition and reception of myth in modern and contemporary culture; the myth , as a language and compositional code for artistic and literary works.

3. Case studies. Analysis of the classical literary and iconographical sources for selected themes found in ancient and modern works (the Muses; Prometheus; Herakles, Medea).

Readings/Bibliography

1. A. Iannucci, "Comunicare il patrimonio culturale in età post-moderna", in Il patrimonio culturale tra conoscenza, tutela e valorizzazione. Il caso della ‘Piazzetta degli Ariani’ di Ravenna, a cura di G. Garzia, M. Vandini, A. Iannucci, Bologna: Bononia University Press, 2015, pp. 273-295; C. Tosco, "Dal tempio al monumento", in Id. I beni culturali. Storia, tutela e valorizzazione, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2014, pp. 11-57.

2. D. Lanza, Tempo senza tempo. La riflessione sul mito dal Settecento a oggi, Roma: Carocci, 2017. One among the following: M. Bettini – M. Lentano, Il mito di Enea. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2013; M. Bettini – C. Brillante, Il mito di Elena. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2013; M. Bettini – C. Franco, Il mito di Circe. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2010; M. Bettini - S. Romani, Il mito di Arianna. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2015; F. Condello, Elettra. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2010; G. Ieranò, Arianna. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2010; S. Fornaro, Antigone. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2012; G. Paduano, Edipo. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2012; M. Bettini, G. Pucci, Il mito di Medea. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2017; F. Condello (a cura di), Prometeo. Variazioni sul mito, Venezia: Marsilio, 2011.

4. The course website will offer handouts, texts, critical essays and further teaching materials.

Students who do not yet possess a basic knowledge of classical literature are recommended to study F. Montanari, Prima lezione di letteratura greca, Roma-Bari: Laterza.

For non attending studentes the reading of F. Graf, Il mito in Grecia, Roma-Bari: Laterza, 2007 is required.

Teaching methods

Class lectures and seminars, lab hands-on exercises on the main bibliographical and iconographical repositories and on the course themes.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

The examination will assess knowledge of all sections of the course (cultural heritage and classical tradition, mythical narrative, function and reception of myth, case studies) through a critical discussion of ancient texts read during the lectures and through the additional teaching materials.

Marks will be evaluated according following criteria:

• pass (18/30-23/30): basic and mnemonic knowledge of the arguments
• merit 24/30-27/30): good knowledege about sources and essays; competence on critical discussion about the contents of the course;
• distinction (28/30-30/30): excellent knowledege about all the arguments; evidence of remarkable skills in the critical evaluation of the course contents

Teaching tools

The course website will offer the following teaching materials:

• classical texts discussed during the lectures
• critical essays related to the classical persistence
• guides for the use of digital repositories for bibliographic and iconographical searches

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Iannucci