45651 - Archaeology and History of Roman Art (1) (Second Level Degree)

Learning outcomes

The student studies a specific subject of the Roman art, architecture and town planning, with a particular emphasis on Rome and Italy; the course provides the student with methods, tools, documents to define the cultural and historical context of research issues.
The student develops learning and researching skills making use of document sources (of archaeological, historical or literary type) as well as of an appropriate scientific bibliography.
At the end of the course the student will be able to present a lecture, with images, to an audience as well as to write an essay on the results of his/her own research.

Course contents

Domus, insula, villa, architectural features of private dwellings: what it meant living in town and in the countryside from the Republican period to the late antiquity.
At the origin of the domus: Greece and Etruria.
Domus with atrium and Domus with peristylium: domini, familia, servi, clientes, amici spaces.
Literary sources: Vitruvius, Vergil. Architecture and decoration ensembles as self-representation.
The development of the upper floor. The façade as an architectural and town-planning topic.
Literary sources: Martial, Juvenal. Home and work: taberna cum pergula, the workshop-house. The archaeological evidence from Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The villa : from centre of rural industry and agriculture to private dwelling intended as sign of status: relationship with the domus
Literary sources: scriptores de re rustica, Horace, Martial, Statius.
Archaeological evidence from the Vesuvian area, the Garda Lake area, and Istria.
A rational pattern in the private dwelling layout: the case of Ostia.
The medianum-house.
Architectural types and urban planning. From the courtyard house to large apartment complexes. The luxury domus in late antiquity: from types to relevant details. Archaeological evidence from Ostia and Rome. The private palatium.
The large late antiquity villas : when designs in private dwelling came to imitate those of imperial buildings: Piazza Armerina, Desenzano.

Seminar held by Dr. Riccardo Helg (8 hours), shared with the course of Storia dell'archeologia classica (History of Classic Archaeology): "The domus vertical development throughout the first century AD: a turning point in private architecture as well as in the urban layout "

N.B. The 5 credits course will end with the third century AD (30 hours of lectures and 4 hours of seminar)
(60 hours of lectures and an 8 hours seminar).

Readings/Bibliography

This course is intended for students who already have a substantial background in the Roman art from the origin to the late antiquity and must have already taken an exam in Classic or Roman archaeology.

Students with no previous knowledge of Classic or Roman Archaeology will have to acquire it, before taking present course examination, through the study of following recommended textbooks:

1. a. R. BIANCHI BANDINELLI, Roma. L'arte romana nel centro del potere; La fine dell'arte antica, 1° vol.; 2° vol. until p. 103 (Introduction and first part, I: Roma; skip over the chapters concerning the art of Roman provinces ) BUR, Milano 1976 (any edition available but particularly recommended is the one of the series Grandi Civiltà, nr. 1-2, Rizzoli Libri illustrati, published in 2005 as supplement of the Corriere della Sera: it is not much expensive and it is provided with an updated bibliography);
1. b. M. TORELLI, Arte romana. Entries, in R. BIANCHI BANDINELLI - TORELLI, Etruria e Roma (L'arte nell'antichità classica, 2), UTET, Torino 1976, pp. 293-467

All students will be required to do reading work on the subjects examined in the course.

In addition to contents of lectures students are expected to prepare a written assignment for examination which title will be provided by the Lecturer (a brief essay, or a
status quaestionis, classification of materials etc.) that must be handed in at least 7 days before the examination. General information and instructions concerning assignments will be given during the lectures.

Distance learning students will be assigned additional reading.
They are also encouraged to seek advice from and consult with the course Director for their written assignments. For this purpose they should meet the course Director during office hours, preferably making an appointment by e-mail; before meeting the course Director the student should send by mail information about first degree taken (or overseas equivalent) with details of examinations passed along with the programme of currently attended second degree course.


Students enrolled in the second degree course (specialistico) (5 credits):
In addition to contents of lectures they must prepare a short written essay which title will be provided by course Director and they won't have additional reading work.

The course will start 8 October 2008, at 15 am, Aula grande. Attending the first lecture is strongly recommended as during it important information and instructions about the course and the examination will be provided.

Assessment methods

Oral examination will include:
1) Assessment of knowledge acquired and of critical understanding of the lesson topics, of the seminar, or of suggested readings (or, for distance learning students, additional reading work );
2) a student ‘s written work, in the form of an essay, that will be discussed in a supervision session;
3) for students that haven't any background of Classic or Roman Archaeology a brief assessment of their handbook knowledge of the discipline

International students have the possibility to take written papers on the topic of lectures and/or on their handbook knowledge through a short-answers written questionnaire ( also English , French or Spanish written answers are admitted); the essay can be also written in the above mentioned languages, but it will be discussed in Italian).

Teaching tools

Lectures and a seminar on a specific subject.
Students will be encouraged to actively participate to lectures.
A large use of images that at the end of the course will be available for students as ppt
Students will be given a booklet of photocopies with images that will allow them to better understand the lectures; texts from literary sources with translation; written outlines of the lectures of the course.
In addition to the formal teaching there will be a field trip to the places examined during the course.

Links to further information

http://www.archeologia.unibo.it/Archeologia.htm

Office hours

See the website of Daniela Scagliarini