29459 - Greek Epigraphy (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to read, translate, understand Greek epigraphic texts, learning how to define typology and chronology of inscriptions, also written in archaic scripts. They will be able to set inscriptions in their context (political, economic, social, etc.), to evaluate their importance as historical documents and to enhance their significance as part of the historical and documentary heritage. Students will learn how to classify inscriptions and to do textual research using available and digital tools.

Course contents

1. The tools of the epigraphist: epigraphic collections (both paper and digital), directories, and bibliographic guides (lectures 1-3).

2. Editing a Greek inscription: principles and structure (lectures 4-15). The individual parts of the edition will be explored through:

a. reading some inscriptions in archaic scripts (photograph or drawing provided);

b. the analysis of selected inscriptions (reading, translation, dating, palaeographic commentary, historical and typological interpretation);

c. an introduction to the digital semantic markup of inscriptions in accordance with the EpiDoc standard;

d. two written exercises to be completed during the course: exercise no. 1 - assignment during lecture no. 4 to be completed at lecture no. 8; exercise no. 2 - assignment during lecture no. 12 to be completed at lecture no. 14.

Please note that if you do not already have a basic knowledge of the Greek language (i.e. the ability to understand a text with the dictionary or at least the ability to understand the correspondence with the offered translations), you must acquire it before the oral examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Students attending.
1. Familiarity with M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Roma 1987 (or later editions) is compulsory and preparatory. Students who have not previously taken a Greek epigraphy course must study it from the beginning of the course (paying particular attention to archaic scripts and text typologies).
2. Students must also study the following selected inscriptions: nos. 3, 25, 26, 31, 41, 45, 51 and 72 from C. Antonetti and S. De Vido (eds.), Iscrizioni greche: Un'antologia, Carocci, Roma 2017 (Greek text, translation and commentary).

 

Students who will not be able to attend the lectures must consult the teacher to agree on specific course content.

a. If the student has previous epigraphic and/or philological knowledge and can complete written exercises on the critical edition of texts, the specific course content may be similar to that of attending students.

b. Otherwise, the student will study:

• M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Roma 1987 (or following reprints);
• M. Guarducci, Epigrafia greca, I, Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Roma 1995, pp. 8–42 and 391–505;
• selected inscriptions (nos. 2, 3, 8, 10, 14, 16, 25, 26, 31, 41, 45, 46, 55, 56, 71 and 72) from C. Antonetti and S. De Vido, Iscrizioni greche. Un'antologia, Carocci, Roma 2017 (Greek text, translation and commentary).

Bibliographic resources are available at the DiSCi Library of Ancient History (Bologna, via Zamboni 38).

Teaching methods

Lessons are held exclusively in person and are not recorded.

The course consists mainly of workshops, during which students will participate in lectures and practise surveying, reading, copying and editing inscriptions. There will also be a working session at the Museo Civico Archeologico in Bologna. During the course, students are required to produce new editions of two Greek inscriptions.

Those who have not previously studied the Greek language or alphabet are strongly recommended to start doing so immediately. Knowledge of Greek will be reinforced through reading the inscriptions themselves.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

At the end of the course, at least ten days before the oral examination, students who attended the lectures (as well as those who did not, but chose a programme similar to that of the attending students — see Readings/Bibliography, case a) must submit a written paper containing the edition (lemma, transcription, translation and commentary) of an inscription selected by the teacher (digital photographs will be provided). The oral examination will

- open a debate on the paper and
- test knowledge of the course content:

• handbook (cf. Readings/Bibliography, point 1);
• selected inscriptions (cf. Readings/Bibliography, point 2).

For non-attending students on a specific programme (cf. Readings/Bibliography, case b), the examination will

- test knowledge of the course content:

• handbooks (cf. Readings/Bibliography, case b);
• selected inscriptions (cf. Readings/Bibliography, case b).

There are eight examination sessions during the academic year: the first in April (reserved for students with the 6 CFU Greek Epigraphy course in their curriculum); the next two in May and June; the fourth in September/October; the fifth in December; and the last three, one per month, from January to March.

The assessment will test the following:
- basic knowledge of the discipline;
- your critical approach to ancient inscriptions and modern historiographical interpretations.
- the ability to communicate orally, with particular focus on synthesis, logical organisation of topics, and mastery of an appropriate vocabulary.
- the ability to manage epigraphic tools (critical editions and bibliography), and select useful information for editing a Greek inscription. This should be complete and formally accurate, displaying argumentative skills. For non-attending students with a specific programme (see Readings/Bibliography, case b), the assessment will cover advanced knowledge of the discipline concerning the history of Greek epigraphy and editions of inscriptions.

Students who demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topics discussed in class and required for the discipline, provide an effective critical commentary and demonstrate mastery of expression and the specific language, both written and oral, will receive a very good or excellent evaluation.

Average marks (satisfactory to good) will be awarded to students who have memorised the main points of the material, can summarise them satisfactorily, and can provide an effective critical commentary. However, they will have failed to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology or content.

An incomplete grasp of the subject matter and/or the use of inappropriate language and terminology, even in the context of minimal knowledge of the course material, will result in a pass mark.

A student will fail the exam if they display significant errors in their understanding, fail to grasp the overall outlines of the subject and demonstrate a poor command of the appropriate terminology.

Students enrolled in the course as part of an Integrated Course (I.C.) must pass the oral examination of both parts – Greek Epigraphy (1) (LM) and Greek Institutions (1) (LM) – on the same day (the final grade will be the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts).

Teaching tools

Original texts (inscriptions and literary sources) and reference slides will be available online (virtuale.unibo.it).

Ancient Greek literacy courses are offered at FICLIT: please see https://corsi.unibo.it/laurea/lettere/greco-zero-alfabetizzazione-al-greco-antico.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Alice Bencivenni