72176 - History of the Italian Landscape

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is able to analyze the evolution and shapes of Italian landscapes, using critically their basic lexicon (environments, territories, spaces, landscapes, borders, borders, etc.), the reference bibliographies (repertoires, magazines, paper and online tools), cartographic morphologies (maps, atlases, drawings, sketches, cabrei, aerial and satellite photographs). In particular, the student is able to: (1) orientate herself/ himself on the field of historical topography, both urban and rural; (2) recognize the stratifications of toponymy, correctly interpreting the names of cities and minor settlements, streets and squares, mountains, lakes, rivers and rivers; (3) set up surveys concerning the evolution of the territory on the basis of samples and comparisons, within which a significant role will be played by the exegesis of written sources and archaeological data.

Course contents

Title of the course: Ravenna between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Environment, cityscape and economic life.

 

The course aims at analyzing the peculiar characteristics of the cityscape of Ravenna between the fifth and ninth centuries, both in its environmental aspects and in its socio-economic ones. Therefore, issues related to the natural environment and demography, the development of the Ravenna-Caesarea-Classe conurbation, as well as the mechanism of production, distribution and consumption will be addressed.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings:

— P. Fabbri, “Il controllo delle acque tra tecnica ed economia”, in A. Carile (a cura), Storia di Ravenna, II/1. Dall’età bizantina all’età ottoniana. Territorio, economia e società, Venezia 1991, pp. 9-25.

— E. Cirelli, Ravenna: archeologia di una città, Borgo S. Lorenzo 2008, pp. 9-50.

— A. Augenti, “Classe: archeologia di una città scomparsa”, in Id. (a cura), Classe. Indagini sul potenziale archeologico di una città scomparsa (Studie e scavi, nuova serie, 27), Bologna 2011, pp. 15-44.

— S. Cosentino, “The structural features of Ravenna’s socioeconomic history in Late Antiquity”, in S. Cosentino (ed.), Ravenna and the Traditions of Late Antique and Early Byzantine Craftsmanship. Labour, Culture and the Economy (Millennium Studies, 86), Berlin-New York 2020, pp. 59-82.

Further bibliography will be given during the course, depending on what studens wish to deepen among the following topics: 1) environment; 3) monumental and social cityscape; 3) economic life.

 

N. B. Non-attending students are requested to read:

— F. Bocchi, M. Ghizzoni, R. Smurra, Storia delle città italiane dal tardoantico al primo Rinascimento, Torino 2002.

Teaching methods

The course is organized as a seminar; during it, the teacher will translate and comment upon some sources (mainly in Latin). Attendance to it is therefore highly recommended.

 

P.S. Foreign students who wish to enroll in the course must have an Italian knowledge of at least level B 2.

Assessment methods

Passing the exam requires a written paper and its discussion with the teacher.

– paperwork: consists of a written paper (12-15 pages long, excluding bibliography: page layout: side margins 2 cm, margins at the top and bottom: 2.5 cm, body font 12, line spacing 2) to be delivered to the teacher as an e-mail attachment one week before the date of the oral exam. Paperwork aims at verifying notions, concepts and euristic tools learned by the student during the course and her/his capacity to organize a written analysis on a historiographical topic.

— oral exam: consists in the discussion of the paperwork and the assessment of historical general notions transmitted during the course.

The final evaluation for passing the exam is determined by the following scores: 20/30 for paperwork; 10/30 for its discussion and other historical notions.

Teaching tools

— Translation of sources

— Distribution of photocopies

— Power-point presentations

— Visit to the Ravennate monuments.

Office hours

See the website of Salvatore Cosentino