B6968 - Italian Cities in History T

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have gained an understanding of the key stages in the history of Italian cities from antiquity to the late Middle Ages-Renaissance. The aim is to examine the history of Italian urban settlements as a process in which political, social, cultural, economic and morphological changes are closely interlinked, thereby highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of urban history.

Course contents

This course analyses the development of urban institutions in communal and late medieval Italy through the study of spaces, public buildings and the transformations of the city between the 12th and 14th centuries. The focus is on the relationships between power, society and the construction of urban space. The course examines the processes by which city communes established themselves, the organisation of municipal authorities, the emergence of town halls as seats of government and symbols of civic autonomy, and the role of squares, markets and city walls in defining urban identity. Through case studies, the course explores the processes of urban transformation promoted by municipal institutions, policies governing urban space, the regulation of public uses of the city, and the relationships between civic authorities, ecclesiastical authorities and social groups. The course also provides tools for understanding the medieval city as a product of political, economic and administrative processes, highlighting the role of institutions in the material and symbolic construction of the urban landscape.

Readings/Bibliography

• F. Bocchi, Per antiche strade. Caratteri e aspetti delle città medievali, Roma 2013
• Il Palazzo comunale nelle città dell'Italia medievale (XII-inizi XIV sec.) Uomini, istituzioni, pietre (atto secondo), a cura di A. Calzona, Verona 2025

Teaching methods

In-class teaching will be integrated with forms of active learning through dialogues and short research essays on the most important topics. Visits to places, archives and museums are also planned.

Assessment methods

Final exam assessment the students preparation is carried out through a test with three open-ended questions designed to assess students’ knowledge of the topics covered in the course, their ability to contextualise historical and institutional phenomena and processes, and their appropriate use of subject-specific terminology. During the course, there will also be ongoing assessments designed to monitor students’ progress in learning the course content, their active participation in teaching activities and their ability to critically analyse the topics covered.

Among the indicators that contribute to the evaluation are considered the property of language (expressing oneself in language appropriate to the historical subject); the ability to correctly place each problem or event in space; the ability to compare the historical evolutionary lines of Italian cities; the ability to analyze themes in a diachronic and/or synchronic perspective; the interventions carried out during the classess period. Using AI during the assessment is prohibited.

Teaching tools

Class attendance is not compulsory, but strongly recommended. Classes are supported by the reading and commentary of aerial photographs, documentary and literary, cartographic and iconographic sources.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the specific University office [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en] as well as with the teacher in order to seek together the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for the exams.

Office hours

See the website of Rosa Smurra