09617 - Greek and Roman Numismatics

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the fundamental knowledge related to the characteristics of coinage as a historical source, an archaeological artifact, and a museum object. At the end of the course, the student will be able to: identify and date Greek and Roman coins; use bibliographic tools and digital resources useful for cataloguing ancient coins; recognize the symbolic and commemorative aspects of the iconographic message conveyed by coins.

Course contents

The course is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for the study of coin production in the Greek and Roman world, outlining the characteristics of the principal ancient coinages and paying particular attention to the iconographic aspects that define numismatic evidence in relation to different cultural contexts and historical periods. A number of sessions will be devoted to practical exercises in the identification and cataloguing of Roman republican and imperial coins.

The following topics will be covered during the course:

• Characteristics and contents of the discipline.
• Coins as archaeological evidence and historical sources.
• Coinage in the ancient world: features and functions.
• Outline of Greek and Roman numismatics.
• Identification and classification of numismatic materials.
• Focus topic: “Ancient coinage as a medium of political communication and propaganda: the use of coin portraits”.

Readings/Bibliography

The following bibliography is mandatory for exam preparation

Attending students:

Textbook

• F. Barello, Archeologia della moneta. Produzione e utilizzo nell'antichità, Roma 2006.

Articles (focus topic)

• C. Perassi, Similitudinem quidem immensa reputatio est (NH VII, 52). Evocazione, assimilazione, sovrapposizione nella ritrattistica monetale antica, in «Numismatica e Antichità Classiche» 43, 2014, pp. 169-202.
  

• A.L. Morelli, Fulvia, icona di vittoria nella monetazione di Marco Antonio: le emissioni di quinari RRC 489/5-6, in S. Magnani (a cura di), Domi forisque. Omaggio a Giovanni Brizzi, Bologna 2018, pp. 221-232.

Further reading for non attending-students:

• C. Perassi, Dalle immagini degli dei ai ritratti degli uomini. Una rivoluzione iconografica nella monetazione antica, in A. Barzanò, C. Bearzot (a cura di), Rivoluzione, riforma, transizione. Atti della Summer School 2017, Milano 2018, pp. 137-212.

All bibliographic resources are available on the platform virtuale.unibo.it.

Teaching methods

• Frontal lessons.
• Practical exercises: identification and cataloguing of ancient coins.
• Optional visit to the coin cabinet of the National Museum of Ravenna, with direct observation of specimens from the numismatic collection.

Assessment methods

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

The final exam will be oral and will assess students’ knowledge of the course contents, on the basis of the bibliographic material indicated above.

Students will be asked to provide an organic view of the topics developed during the course, making connections between them and showing the ability to analyze and interpret the acquired data.

In particular, each student will be asked two questions aimed at assessing basic knowledge of numismatics (textbook by F. Barello). A third question will concern the articles included in the course bibliography for the focus topic.

• Top marks will be awarded to students displaying their ability to use the numismatic evidence as a source for historical reconstruction, combined with a critical approach to the discipline and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology.
• Fair marks will be awarded to students demonstrating a mnemonic knowledge of the subject, combined with a correct, but not always appropriate, command of the field-specific language.
• A pass mark (or just above) will be assigned to students showing a superficial knowledge of the material, in addition to a scarce analytical and expressive ability in the discussion of the topics examined.
• Students will be deemed to have failed the exam if they display significant gaps in their understanding of the subject, in addition to a partial and inadequate knowledge of the bibliography, and/or together with a poor command of the appropriate terminology.
  
  

Students will not be admitted to the oral exam if they have not prepared all the required bibliography.

Exam sessions for the year 2026 are expected to be held in the following months (the exact dates will be published on AlmaEsami well in advance):

- May 2026 (for all students);
- June 2026 (for all students);
- July 2026 (for all students);
- September 2026 (for students with pending exam);
- October 2026 (for students with pending exam);
- November 2026 (for students with pending exam).

Teaching tools

• PowerPoint presentations of the topics covered in class.
• Use of traditional tools and online resources for numismatic research.

All support material for learning is available on the platform virtuale.unibo.it.

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 Erica Filippini