C9555 - ARCHEOLOGIA DELLE CITTA' DELLA MAGNA GRECIA E DELLA SICILIA

Learning outcomes

The course aims to explore the distinctive features of urban civilization in the Greek world, with particular reference to urban layouts, monumental structures, and interactions with indigenous, Italic, and Siceliot cultures in which the poleis were established. The chronological framework spans from the Minoan-Mycenaean period to the late Hellenistic age. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically address the issues studied, not only by employing tools useful for the proper understanding and elaboration of knowledge in this field, but also by applying the essential skills needed to design projects and carry out research within archaeological fieldwork.

Course contents

The course examines the origins and development of the urban model in the ‘Western’ Greek world, understood in its broadest sense to include Magna Graecia and Sicily. Following an examination of the earliest examples from the Minoan and Mycenaean periods, the course will look at the Greek city-states, with particular focus on southern Italy and Sicily.

- The Euboean colonies: Pithecusa, Cuma, Zancle, Region, Naxos;

- The Doric colonies: Syracuse, Megara Hyblea, Selinunte; Locri, Taranto;

- The Achaean colonies: Crotone, Sibari; Metaponto, Poseidonia;

- The Rhodian-Cretan colonies: Gela, Agrigento.

The analysis of Sicily as a ‘case study’ will then lead to an understanding of how the various cultures – both local and external – intersected, with implications in linguistic terms (the study of bilingualism in epigraphy), architectural terms (various models of public and private buildings), and cultural terms in general (trade and the ‘theft’ of works of art, for example).

As Sicily is one of the sites where the author has been conducting archaeological excavations since 2016, all students are encouraged to take part in the regular excavation campaigns organised each year, in order to gain first-hand experience of archaeological investigation: Progetto Agrigento.

STUDENTS WISHING TO TAKE PART IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE COURSE ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE WORKPLACE SAFETY TRAINING MODULES: here. FURTHERMORE, FOR THE EXCAVATION, A HEALTH CLEARANCE IS REQUIRED, WHICH IS ASSESSED FOLLOWING A MEDICAL EXAMINATION ORGANISED BY THE UNIVERSITY’S OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE.

Readings/Bibliography

STUDENTS ATTENDING CLASSES

In addition to your lecture notes, it is essential to study at least one of the following textbooks in preparation for the exam:

- E. DE JULIIS, Magna Graecia. Southern Italy from its legendary origins to the Roman conquest, Edipuglia 1996

- E. GRECO, Archaeology of Western Hellenism 1: Magna Graecia, Bologna 2008

- G.F. LA TORRE, Sicily and Magna Graecia. Archaeology of Greek Colonisation in the West, Laterza, Bari 2011

- P.G. GUZZO, Greek Foundations. Southern Italy and Sicily (8th and 7th centuries BC), Carocci, Rome 2011

- P.G. GUZZO, The Cities of Magna Graecia and Sicily from the 6th to the 1st Century. I. Magna Graecia, Rome 2016

- M. OSANNA, New World. A Journey to the Origins of Magna Graecia, Milan 2024

STUDENTS WHO CANNOT ATTEND CLASSES

Students who are unable to attend classes are required to study one of the textbooks listed above and one of the following texts of their choice:

- M. TORELLI, Gods and Artisans: The Archaeology of the Greek Colonies in the West, Laterza, Bari 2011

- E. GRECO, Magna Graecia (Laterza Archaeological Guides), Bari 1980 (with reprints)

- H. DUDAY, The Archaeology of the Dead: Lectures in Archaeothanatology, Oxbow Books 2009

- V. NIZZO, Archaeology and Anthropology of Death: History of an Idea, Edipuglia, 2015

- M. CIPRIANI, A. M. DE FEO, M. L. RIZZO and A. SANTORIELLO, A reinterpretation of the Paestum necropolises. The Andriuolo and Licinella sites, in Between Etruria, Lazio and Magna Graecia. Investigations into the necropolises. Proceedings of the Study Conference (Fisciano, 5–6 March 2009), Paestum 2009, pp. 209–232

- B. d’AGOSTINO, ‘The Necropolis and the Rituals of Death’, in S. Settis (ed.), The Greeks. History, Culture, Art, Society, 2. A Greek History, 1. Formation, Turin 1996, pp. 435–470

- E. GRECO, The ‘Tomb’ of the Founder and the Origins of Poseidonia (Quaderni di antichità pestane 3), Paestum 2014

- A. PONTRANDOLFO, A. ROUVERET, M. CIPRIANI, F. LONGO, The Tomb of the Diver and the Other Painted Tombs of Paestum, Paestum 2015

- F. PESANDO, Five Easy Pieces on the Roman House. Studies and Lectures (1999–2018), Naples 2020

- F. PESANDO, G. ZUCHTRIEGEL (eds.), Living in Magna Graecia: the Archaic Period, Pisa 2020

- V. CAMINNECI, M.C. PARELLO, M.S. RIZZO, The Valley of the Temples (Archaeological Sites), Carocci, Rome 2022

- S. MEDAS, Archaeology of Navigation: The Ancient Mediterranean, Carocci, Rome 2024

- F. COARELLI, The Romans in Sicily and Southern Italy, Udine 2006

- C. SORACI, Roman Sicily: 3rd century BC–5th century AD, Bologna 2016

- N. LANERI, Archaeology of Death, Carocci, 2011

- F. COLIVICCHI, ‘The Mirror and the Strigil: The Exchange of Symbols and Interaction between the Sexes’, in F.H. Massa-Pairault (ed.), L'image antique et son interprétation (Collection de l'École française de Rome, 371), Rome 2006, pp. 277–300

Students with specific interests (or requirements) may contact the lecturer to discuss possible alternative study programmes.

 

Teaching methods

Given the specific structure of the course, all students are encouraged to attend lectures, which will, as far as possible, take the form of seminars, with active participation in the discussion of the topics under study.

Students who are unable to attend lectures will be required to study a textbook of their choice from those listed under ‘texts/bibliography’, together with further reading to be selected from the recommendations in the previous section.

Anyone with specific interests (or requirements) may contact the lecturer to arrange alternative study plans.

 

Assessment methods

The assessment will consist of an oral examination, the purpose of which is to assess the acquisition of basic knowledge in the field of the archaeology of the cities of Magna Graecia and Sicily. Particular attention will therefore be paid to the soundness of the geographical and chronological framework of each site and monument. Proficiency in specialist terminology will be viewed very favourably.

PLEASE NOTE: the use of AI tools during the examination is prohibited in any form, including chatbots, text generators, advanced translators, content synthesisers and tools integrated into devices.

Any use of AI is considered a breach of the principle of honesty and fairness set out in the Policy and may result in the examination being annulled by the lecturer, who remains responsible for verifying the validity of the examination (Scenario No. 1 of the University Policy).

The purpose of the examination is also to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student. Given the importance of attendance at lectures, the following assessment criteria will be applied to both attending and non-attending students.

 

Attending students

Students’ ability to participate actively in lectures will be assessed: these skills, combined with a thorough understanding of the subject matter covered in the lectures, the demonstration of critical thinking and appropriate verbal expression, will be awarded the highest marks (27–30 with distinction).

Attendance at lectures, combined with a predominantly rote learning of the course material and verbal expression and logical skills that are not entirely satisfactory, will be awarded a mark ranging from ‘good’ (24–26) to ‘satisfactory’ (21–23).

Attendance at lectures, combined with a minimal grasp of the course material and inadequate verbal expression and logical reasoning skills, will be assessed with a pass mark (18–20).

A failure to demonstrate even a minimal grasp of the course material, combined with inadequate verbal expression and logical reasoning skills, will be assessed as a fail, which requires the student to retake the exam.

 

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will be assessed primarily on their ability to use the reading list and multimedia resources provided to present the course content appropriately. This ability, combined with a thorough understanding of the subject matter covered in the lectures, the demonstration of critical thinking and appropriate verbal expression, will be awarded the highest marks (27–30 with distinction).

A predominantly rote learning of the course material, accompanied by verbal expression and logical reasoning skills that are not entirely satisfactory, will be assessed with a mark ranging from ‘good’ (24–26) to ‘satisfactory’ (21–23).

A minimal grasp of the course material, combined with inadequate verbal expression and logical reasoning skills, will be awarded a pass mark (18–20).

A failure to demonstrate even a minimal grasp of the course material, combined with inadequate verbal expression and logical reasoning skills, will result in a fail mark, which requires the student to retake the entire examination.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Please be aware that the examination will be held in person only and that working students are entitled to special arrangements, all of which can be found on the web pages: examinations and examination sessions.

Finally, please note that all students are required to attend the roll call held at the start of each examination session, even if the examinations are spread over several days; failure to do so will result in the examination being invalidated.

 

 

 

 

Teaching tools

The lectures will be supported by the projection of images which, at the end of each session, will be provided to students and made available on the virtual platform virtual.unibo.it

 

Students will also be expected to undertake individual in-depth studies related to the course topics (further details will be provided during the lectures).

 

Students who, due to a disability or specific learning difficulties (SLD), require compensatory measures may inform the lecturer of their needs so that they can be referred to the relevant contacts and agree on the most appropriate arrangements.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppe Lepore