75839 - Seminar (1) (G-E)

Course contents

Languages of science and classical antiquity

In spite of their strong impact upon modern and contemporary culture, technical languages and scientific literature are very often left out by school programs. The main core of this seminar will be the analysis of themes, words and texts in order to highlight elements of continuity and discontinuity, analogies and differences between the ancient vocabulary and the modern one. The various themes will be studied trough a selection of classical texts and on the basis of key-words belonging to the intellectual vocabulary of each branch of knowledge.

Seminars will be held every tuesday, from 5 to 7 pm, in Aula in aula PASCOLI, via ZAMBONI 32.

The course begin on tuesday, 20 september.

1. Literature and medicine (physician, disease and therapy)

Lectures from ancient medical and biological literature (Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Celsus). Special attention will be given to the relationship between physicians and society and between ethics and medicine; the analysis of literary passages (Sophocles, Menander, Thucydides, Lucretius, Virgil, Horace, Lucian) will show the diffusion and the richness of medical and biological vocabulary.

2.Literature, chemistry and alchemy

The oldest texts about alchemy, written in the Greco-Roman Egypt (I-IV AD), will be analysed, with a main focus on pseudoepigraphic texts (attributed to pre-Socratic philosopher Democritus and the goddess Isis) and the works of the first historical alchemist, Zosimos of Panopolis. Technical language will be compared with the lexicon of medicine and physical sciences (Dioscorides, Pliny the Elder, Neoplatonic tradition).

3. Literature and astronomy (myths and constellations)

Lectures from Plato, Aristotle, Aratus, Cicero, Seneca, Hyginus; the aim is to show the origin, the development and the diffusion of the astronomical vocabulary. Special attention will be paied to the relationship between mythology and the name and disposition of the constellations.

4. Ancient tradition beyond Antiquity

With the help of some case-studies it will be analysed how scientific knowledges and technical languages came frome Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. also through relationships with other languages and cultures (e.g Syriac and Arabic tradition).

The anniversary of the 7 centenary of his birth, will be the occasion of the presentation of the figure of the Bolognese scientist Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605), whose bibliographic and scientific collection is preserved at the University Library and at the Museum of Palazzo Poggi: a specific visit will also be organized.

For all courses, some texts will be examined in translation, others in Latin; the main purpose will be to highlight the characteristics of the various technical languages and their influence on modern technolects.


A detailed course schedule will be published before classes begin.

Readings/Bibliography

• Notes: the texts will be handed out during the lessons; then they will be uploaded on the online teaching materials.

• At least two readings from the followings: Medicine: I. Andorlini - A. Marcone, Medicina, medico e società nel mondo antico, Firenze, Le Monnier Università, 2004; i saggi di Gourevich, Jouanna e Vegetti in Storia del pensiero medico occidentale. I. Antichità e medioevo, a cura di Mirko D. Grmek, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2007. Astronomy: J. Evans, The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy, Oxford 1996, pp. 17-26; L. Taub, Astronomy in Its Contexts, in Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Science, Cambridge 2020, pp. 208-228; L. Russo, La rivoluzione dimenticata. Il pensiero scientifico greco e la scienza moderna, Milano, 2010 (§§ 3.6-3.8; 10.12-10.14). Alchemy: Michela Pereira (a cura di), Alchimia. I testi della tradizione occidentale, Milano, Mondadori/Meridiani, 2006 (letture antologiche indicate a lezione); Eric John Holmyard, Storia dell’alchimia, Firenze, Sansoni, 1972 (rist. Odoya, 2009; italianan translation of Alchemy, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1957), chapt. 1-6.

Teaching methods

The seminar will be organised as a series of workshops, with the participation of others teachers. Attendance is mandatory.

Assessment methods

The principal means of evaluation will be attendance and participation. In a viva voce examination the student will be asked to discuss some themes and texts analysed during the lessons in order to verify both his competencies and critical analysis.

Serious faults in the capacity of critical reflexion and in the knowledge of the lexicon studied (and on morphology as well) will be cause of non suitability.

Examination will deal with themes and texts analysed during the lessons; through the readings it is also required an in-depht analysis about at least one technical field.

Teaching tools

Handout will be upload on the online teaching materials

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Citti