03619 - Roman Archaeology and History of Art

Learning outcomes

The course aims at introducing students to the topics of Roman archaeology and art history, from the Republican period to the late Antiquity one, through the presentation of the main architectural and artistic evidences contextualized in their historical and cultural perspective. At the end of the course, students will acquire the knowledge of the main aspects of Roman archaeology and art history, and will be able to place them in the correct historical and cultural background (with a specific attention to the problems of conservation); they will also be able to learn by experts of other related fields and to detect relationships with other disciplines, gaining methodological rigor and accuracy.

Course contents

1.general part: main historical and geographical references of the Roman world. The "line of time" from old age to late antiquity.

The origins of Rome and its urban and monumental development. Rome and Italy: colonies and municipalities, roads, habitats, territories.Technics and building materials. The forms of living: the Roman house. Fora, temples, public buildings.

The world of images: cultured art, plebeian art. Painting and mosaic.

The historical relief. The Face of the Romans: the development of the portrait in the Roman figurative culture.

The problem of the late-Roman era.

2. annual topic: "the roman painting". A journey into the pictorial production of the Roman world: stylistic and technological considerations.

Readings/Bibliography

ATTENDING STUDENTS:

The following texts are mandatory for the preparation of the exam:

- R. Bianchi Bandinelli, Roma. L'arte romana nel centro del potere, Milano, Rizzoli editore.

- R. Bianchi Bandinelli, Roma. La fine dell'arte antica, Milano, Rizzoli editore, pp. 1-100.

Or, in alternative:

- M. Torelli, M. Menichetti, G.L. Grassigli, Arte e archeologia del mondo romano, Milano, Longanesi, 2008.

 

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS:

In addition to the exam schedule indicated above for the attending students, the non attending students are invited to prepare a further reading choosing among the following possibilities:

- P. Zanker, Arte romana, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2008.

- P. Zanker, Un'arte per l'impero. Funzione e intenzione delle immagini nel mondo romano, Milano, Electa editore.

- T. Hoelscher, Il linguaggio dell'arte romana, Torino, Einaudi editore.

- S. De Maria, Segni, cerimonie e monumenti del potere, in S. Settis (a cura di), Civiltà dei Romani. Il potere e l'esercito, Milano, Electa, 1991, pp. 123-143.

- P. Gros, L'architettura romana dagli inizi del III secolo a.C. alla fine dell'alto impero. I monumenti pubblici, Milano, Longanesi editore, pp. 134-300.

- F. Coarelli, Roma (Guide Archeologiche Laterza), nuova ediz., Roma-Bari 2008 e ss.

- E. De Albentiis, La casa dei Romani, Milano, Longanesi. 1990.

- H. von Hesberg, Monumenta. I sepolcri romani e la loro architettura, Milano, Longanesi, 1994.

- I. Baldassarre, A. Pontrandolfo, A. Rouveret, M. Salvadori, Pittura romana. Dall'Ellenismo al tardo Antico, Milano 2006.

- J. Scheid, Rito e religione dei Romani, Bergamo 2009

-P. MORACHIELLO, V. FONTANA, L'architettura del mondo romano, Laterza, Bari 2009

- A. CARANDINI (a cura di), Atlante di Roma antica, Milano 2013

 

Different solutions can be eventually agreed with the Professor.

Teaching methods

Given the particular setting of the course, all students are invited to attend the lessons, which will have as much as possible a "seminar" cut, with active participation in the presentation of the subjects of study.

Students who can not attend the lessons will have to study a manual of choice from the ones listed in the "texts / bibliography", together with a further reading, to choose from the ones suggested in the previous section.

Whoever has particular interests (or necessities) can contact the teacher to define any alternative programs.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning will take place through individual interviews. The student must demonstrate that he has basic knowledge about classical civilization (historical aspects, chronological problems, archaeological profile of Roman settlements in the Mediterranean). Based on the lessons learned, the student will need to be able to contextually corroborate the submitted documentary sources (archaeological, epigraphic, iconographic), with particular attention to the chronological aspects. He will also have to show that he knows how to connect the archaeological data with historical and historical-artistic implications. Verification will also include a timely query on all the texts listed in the bibliographic program.

For non-attending students, data for acquiring the didactic goals set out, it will also require a specific in-depth study of bibliographic material appropriately assigned by the teacher to supplement the non-attendance of lessons.

Teaching tools

Lessons will be supported by the projection of images that will be provided to the student at the end of the lessons.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppe Lepore