04358 - Latin Palaeography and Diplomatics

Learning outcomes

The course has as its objective the knowledge of book and documentary writing in the Latin alphabet and of documentary typologies between the Middle Ages and the early modern age. At the end of the course the student is able to orient himself in the dating and evaluation of the areas of production of manuscripts in Latin and in the vernacular, he can read and recognize the main book and documentary writings, distinguish document types and know the editing methods typical of diplomatics. He knows how to orient himself in bibliographic tools and research methods.

Course contents

The course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of contents and methodological tools of both Latin Paleography and Diplomatics. The genetic connection between these two disciplines, primary gateways to the history of written culture, will be emphasized by exploring the theme of qualified uses of writing as mechanisms for authentication, validation, and endorsement. This applies both to literary texts (as well as sub- and para-literary texts) in relation to the signs connecting them to their authors, and to documents whose capacity to establish, transform, or nullify real rights for individuals and institutions is determined by normative compliance and the formulation of qualified signs and scripts.

The course is divided into two units:

1. Latin Paleography: The unit encompasses an in-depth examination of autography (or self-writing) in its diverse forms within the Latin West from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Era. It is envisioned that the course will cover some or all of the following topics:

- Theoretical foundations and practical aspects of autography, seeking definition through examinations of late antiquity subscriptions.

- The autography of Christian authors, with a particular focus on figures such as Cassiodorus and Gregory the Great.

- Autography during the High Middle Ages, examining the 10th-century phrenesis of Liutprand of Cremona and Raterius of Verona.

- The role of autography in the monastic world, featuring Pier Damiani, Guibert of Nogent, and others, exploring the dynamics between self-expression and rejection from the 11th to the 12th centuries.

- The intriguing case of Francis of Assisi: a saint, despite illiteracy, engaging in writing.

- Exploration of autography among new intellectuals such as Thomas Aquinas and Matteo of Acquasparta during the 13th and 14th centuries.

- Examination of extreme autography through cases like the witch Bellezze Ursini and the heretic Domenico Scandella, known as Menocchio, who wrote for self-preservation.

- An examination of self-writing practices among cultured minds, exemplified by Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio.

- Exploration of the writing styles of Salutati, Bracciolini, and Niccoli, who emulated the ancients among the humanists.

- A concluding examination of status writing among artists, featuring the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti."

2. Diplomatics: The field of diplomatics provides a refined repertoire of methodological tools to ascertain the authenticity of a document through the examination of its forms, both intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics. Its primary task involves linking these forms and signs—whether physical, graphic, or textual—to the genetic process of each and every single document, retracing the stages of its creation. In doing so, diplomatics not only serves as a direct historical inquiry but also it unveils the specific narrative of social conventions that, throughout the centuries, cemented the relationship between certain signs and the acknowledgment of authenticity and legitimacy they conferred upon the writings entrusted with the real rights of individuals and institutions. For this purpose, the lectures will delve into several of the following subjects:

- Jean Mabillon and the inception of diplomatics

- Establishing a definition of a document: exploring its genesis and function

- The document as the convergence of legality and written form

- Law, legal practices, and historical perspectives

- The document as a legal source in the Roman world (from the Twelve Tables to late antique codifications)

- Dispositive and probative functions in Roman and medieval documents

- Action and documentation in the Middle Ages: distinguishing public and private documents

- The 'authors' of medieval documentation: chancelleries, tabelliones, judges, and notaries

- Stages of document development in public and private spheres

- Extrinsic features of public documents: writing material, script, special marks, seals, chancellery notes

- Intrinsic features of public documents: examining fractures and continuity in the reflection of imperial (4th-10th centuries) and papal (10th-14th centuries) documents

- Time and its calculation in medieval documents

- From formulas of the High Middle Ages to the notarial arts of late medieval Italy

- Documents in books: navigating their function and authenticity—a comprehensive exploration

– Critical edition of documents: transcribing according to modern scholarly conventions.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Latin Palaeography:

– A. Bartoli Langeli, Tra Alcuino e Gigliola Cinquetti. Discorsi di Paleografia, Padova: libreriauniversitaria.it Edizioni, 2020 (Storia e linguaggi, 36)

– A. Bartoli Langeli, Gli scritti da Francesco. L’autografia di un illitteratus, in Frate Francesco d’Assisi. Atti del XXI Convegno della Società Internazionale di Studi Francescani (Assisi, 14-16 ottobre 1993), Spoleto: Fondazione CISAM, 1994 (Atti dei Convegni della SISF, 21. N.S. 4), pp. 101-159

– A. Bartoli Langeli, Gli autografi nel basso medioevo. Con un approfondimento sull’autografo petrarchesco del Canzoniere, in «Scriptoria» e biblioteche nel basso medioevo (secoli XII-XV). Atti del LI Convegno storico internazionale (Todi, 12-15 ottobre 2014), Spoleto: Fondazione CISAM, 2015 (Centro italiano di studi sul basso medioevo. Atti dei convegni, N.S., 28), pp. 49-70

– A. Petrucci, Letteratura italiana. Una storia attraverso la scrittura, Roma: Carocci Editore, 2017 (Frecce, 242), capp. II, III, IV, VI, XI, XIII, XIV, XV

– G. Cavallo, Scrivere e leggere nella città antica, Roma: Carocci Editore, 2019 (Frecce, 285), capp. 3, 4

– O. Pecere, Il testo dopo il testo. Leggere, emendare e sottoscrivere il libro latino antico. Premessa di R. Gamberini, F. Santi, A. Stramaglia, Firenze: SISMEL - Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2023 [mediEVI, 36], capp. II (La tradizione dei testi latini tra IV e V secolo attraverso i libri sottoscritti), IV (Cassiodoro e la protostoria di un corpus di scritti di Boezio)

** Non-attending students will add a text of choice from the following:

– A. Petrucci, Scrivere lettere. Una storia plurimillenaria, Roma-Bari: Editori Laterza, 2008 (Storia e società)

– M. Long, Autografia ed epistolografia tra XI e XIII secolo. Per un’analisi delle testimonianze sulla “scrittura di propria mano”, Milano: Ledizioni, 2014 (Dipartimento di Studi Storici dell’Università di Torino, 7)

– M. Cursi, Lo specchio di Leonardo. Scritture e libri del genio universale, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2020

– M. C. Rossi, Gli autografi di Tommaso d’Aquino, Turhout: Brepols Publishers, 2021 (Corpus Christianorum. Autographa Medii Aevi, 8)

2. Diplomatics:

– A. Pratesi, Genesi e forme del documento medievale, Roma: Jouvence, 1999 (Guide, 3)

– G. Nicolaj, Lineamenti di diplomatica generale, in «Scrineum — Rivista», 1 (2003), pp. 5-112

** Non-attending students will add a text of choice from the following:

– A. Petrucci, C. Romeo, Scriptores in urbibus. Alfabetismo e cultura scritta nell’Italia medievale, Bologna: Il Mulino, 1992 (Il Mulino Ricerca)

– M. Amelotti, G. Costamagna, Alle origini del notariato italiano, Milano: Giuffrè Editore, 1995 [prima edizione: Milano, 1975]

– A. Bartoli Langeli, Notai. Scrivere documenti nell’Italia medievale, Roma: Viella Libreria Editrice, 2006 (I libri di Viella, 56)

– P. Cammarosano, Italia medievale. Struttura e geografia delle fonti scritte, Torino: La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1995 [settima e ultima ristampa: Roma, Carocci Editore, 2016 (Aulamagna)]

– A. Petrucci, Scrittura, documentazione, memoria. Dieci scritti e un inedito (1963-2009). Con una premessa di A. Bartoli Langeli, Roma, 2019

As preliminary preparation on the topics of anthropology and sociology of writing, reading a text of choice from the following is warmly recommended:

– G. R. Cardona, Antropologia della scrittura, Torino: Loerscher editore, 1981 (Loescher Università. Monografie)

– A. Petrucci, La scrittura: ideologia e rappresentazione, Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 1986 () [ristampa con introduzione di N. Barker, Roma, LUISS University Press, 2021 (Kairós)]

– H. J. Martin, Storia e potere della scrittura, Roma-Bari: Editori Laterza, 1990 (Storia e società)

– J. Assmann, Scrittura, ricordo e identità politica nelle grandi civiltà, Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 1992 (Biblioteca Einaudi, 2)

– A. Petrucci, Le scritture ultime. Ideologia della morte e strategie dello scrivere nella tradizione occidentale, Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 1995 (Saggi, 798)

– M. Bettini, Roma, città della parola. Oralità Memoria Diritto Religione Poesia, Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 2022 (Saggi, 1025)

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons; educational visit in Archives and Libraries; practice sessions: various types of handwritten sources from the 4th to the 15th century CE will be explored and interpreted.

Further study materials and additional resources can be accessed on the course's Virtual page, with the password available upon request from the teacher.

** For regularly attending students: The teacher may assign a project, which will be the initial topic discussed during the exam.

Assessment methods

Class attendance is recommended to achieve a good result. All those who cannot attend the course for demonstrable reasons of work are required to agree their syllabus in advance during the lecturer’s office hours.

The exam will be an oral discussion where students can choose a topic or discuss an assigned research project from class. Evaluation will consider how well students know and understand the topics covered in lectures and the recommended readings, their ability to communicate effectively using the specialized language of the discipline, their skills in summarizing and analyzing themes and concepts, and their overall critical, methodological, and interpretative abilities.

Any gaps in knowledge, the use of inappropriate language, or a lack of engagement with the course materials will be assessed negatively.

Teaching tools

Practical activities:

- Annotated projection of various types of handwritten sources spanning from the 4th to the 15th century CE.

- Annotated projection of late antique and medieval manuscripts related to specific case studies of autography and self-writing

- Annotated projection of specific case studies related to late-antique or medieval documents (charters, legal records, law codes, legislation, records of trials, and litigation)

In the 'Virtual teaching resources' section - which can be accessed with a password that the teacher will communicate at the beginning of the lessons - the basic teaching material will be available from the start of the course (exemplary and in-depth Keynotes, links to videos and handouts provided by the teacher).

Please note that initiatives (educational visits, seminars, conferences, book presentations...) indicated and/or organized by the teacher are to be considered supplementary to the teaching and will be recognized during the exam.

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All student who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special strategies to compensate it, are kindly requested to contact Prof. Bassetti, in order to be referred to the colleagues in charge and get proper advice and instructions.

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Office hours

See the website of Massimiliano Bassetti