85137 - Archaeology of Magna Graecia Cities

Learning outcomes

The course aims to examine in depth the peculiarities of the urban greek culture, having special consideration for the characteristics of the urban patterns, the monumental complex and their evolution, as well as of the different civilization aspects developed within the poleis context from the Minoan and Mycenaean age up to the late Hellenistic period. Students will acquire knowledge of the basic aspects of the colonial greek western world, having some familiarity with in-depth analysis of specific subjects. These also concern the different figurative expressions and forms of the material culture, on the basis of the various modalities developed within the different historical and social contexts. At the end of the course students will have acquired solid skills in identifying source material and bibliography, and ability to deal with the covered themes with a critical approach, fundamental to be able to carry out research and archaeological activities on the field.

Course contents

The course programme analyses the genesis and evolution of the urban pattern within the greek ancient world. After some first examples from the Minoan and Mycenaean period, the attention will be reserved to the Greek cities founded in the Mediterranean basin:

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

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

- Achee colonies: Crotone, Siberia; Metaponto, Poseidonia;

- Rhodium-Cretan colonies: Gela, Agrigento.

 

During the lessons the theme of the so called "Archaeology of Death" will also be developed, declined through some examples of the above mentioned cities.

Readings/Bibliography

 

ATTENDING STUDENTS: preparing the examination is necessary the study of at least one of the following handbooks:

- E. DE JULIIS, Magna Grecia. L'Italia meridionale dalle origini leggendarie alla conquista romana, Edipuglia 1996

- E. GRECO, Archeologia della grecità occidentale 1: la Magna Grecia, Bologna 2008

- G.F. LA TORRE, Sicilia e Magna Grecia. Archeologia della colonizzazione greca d'Occidente, Laterza Bari 2011

- P. GUZZO, Fondazioni greche. L'Italia meridionale e la Sicilia (VIII e VII sec. a.C.), Carocci, Roma 2011

- P.G. GUZZO, Le città di Magna Grecia e di Sicilia dal VI al I secolo. I. La Magna Grecia, Roma 2016

Further in depth analysis are also suggested:
- M. TORELLI, Dei e Artigiani. Archeologia delle colonie greche d'Occidente, Laterza, Bari 2011
- S. SETTIS, M.C. PARRA (a cura di), Magna Graecia. Archeologia di un sapere (Catalogo Mostra di Catanzaro 2005), Electa, Milano 2005
- E. GRECO, Magna Grecia (Guide Archeologiche Laterza), Bari 1980 con ristampe fino al 2008
- G. PUGLIESE CARRATELLI (a cura di), I Greci in Occidente (Catalogo della Mostra, Venezia 1996), Bompiani, Milano 1996

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS: Students who can not attend the lessons are required to study one of the above-mentioned manuals and one of the following texts you choose:

- M. TORELLI, Dei e Artigiani. Archeologia delle colonie greche d'Occidente, Laterza, Bari 2011

- E. GRECO, Magna Grecia (Guide Archeologiche Laterza), Bari 1980 con ristampe

- H. DUDAY, The archaeology of the Death: lectures in Archaeothanatology, Oxbow Books 2009

- V. NIZZO, Archeologia e antropologia della morte. Storia di un'idea, Edipuglia, 2015

- N. LANERI, Archeologia della morte, Carocci, 2011

- F. COLIVICCHI, Lo specchio e lo strigile. Scambio di simboli e scambio fra i sessi, in F.H. Massa-Pairault (ed.), L'image antique et son interprétation (Collection de l'Ecole française de Rome, 371), Rome 2006, pp. 277-300

- M. CIPRIANI, A. M. DE FEO, M. L. RIZZO e A. SANTORIELLO, Una rilettura delle necropoli pestane. I contesti di Andriuolo e della Licinella, in Tra Etruria, Lazio e Magna Grecia. Indagini sulle necropoli. Atti dell'Incontro di studio (Fisciano, 5-6 marzo 2009), Paestum 2009, pp. 209-232

- B. d’AGOSTINO, La necropoli e i rituali della morte, in S. Settis (ed.), I Greci. Storia, cultura, arte, società, 2. Una storia greca, 1. Formazione, Torino 1996, pp. 435-470

- E. GRECO, La ‘tomba’ del fondatore e le origini di Poseidonia (Quaderni di antichità pestane 3), Paestum 2014

 

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

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 will have to prove that he has the basic notions about Greek urban planning. 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

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

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppe Lepore