29631 - Diplomatics (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have learned the definition and nomenclature of documents; factors, characters and parts of the document in general; general classification of documents and close examination of them; he will be able to do a comparative analysis of the various categories of the documents.

Course contents

After some hints about the History of Diplomatics, from Mabillon to the more recent leanings of this Science, it will be examined the general basics of the discipline, starting from the definition of the object and of the confines of Diplomatics: the document, which will be analyzed in its main features (writing, typicalness, juridical and historical aspects); the method of Diplomatics and the incisive ruling about the authenticity of the document; the dating of the document; description and analysis of shapes, structure and uses of the medieval document. Moreover, it will be examined some of the main documentary types of the Middle Ages, as the public as the private ones, and it will be tried to rebuild their genetic process, in order to follow their historical development, highlighting their relationships with Law, History, Palaeography. Part of the course will be dedicated to practical workshops concerning reading and analysis of the formularies of some of the most widespread documentary types of the medieval time. A permanent attention will be dedicated to the analysis of the relationship between Diplomatics and History, highlighting the importance of the documentary sources for the historical research.

Readings/Bibliography

For attenders: 1) G. Nicolaj, Lezioni di diplomatica generale. I. Istituzioni, Roma 2007; 2) Didactic material provided during the course.

Unattenders 1) G. Nicolaj, Lezioni di diplomatica generale. I. Istituzioni , Roma 2007 and in article chosen among the following: - G. Cencetti, Studium fuit Bononie. Note sulla storia dell'Università di Bologna nel primo mezzo secolo della sua esistenza , in Lo Studio di Bologna. Aspetti momenti e problemi (1935-1970), a cura di R. Ferrara, G. Orlandelli, A. Vasina, Bologna 1989, pp. 29-73; - G. Orlandelli, Appunti sulla scuola bolognese di notariato per una edizione della Ars Notarie di Salatiele, in Scritti di Paleografia e Diplomatica, a cura di R. Ferrara e G. Feo, Bologna 1994 (Opere dei Maestri VII), pp. 345-398;  - R. Ferrara, La teoria delle "publicationes" da Ranieri di Perugia (1214) a Rolandino Passeggeri (1256), in Notariado público y documento privado. De los origines al siglo XIV. Actas del VII. Congreso Internacional de Diplomática, voll. I-II, Valencia 1986 (Congreso Internacional de Diplomática, 7), pp. 1053-1090;  - G. Feo, “Notariati” bolognesi del secolo XIII tra Salatiele e Rolandino. Appunti di Diplomatica, in La norma e la memoria. Studi per Augusto Vasina, a cura di T. Lazzari, L. Mascanzoni, R. Rinaldi, Roma 2004 (Nuovi studi storici, 67), pp. 195-212; - A. Roncaglia, Le origini, in La storia della letteratura italiana diretta da E. Cecchi - N. Sapegno, vol. I, Milano 1965, pp. 3ss., in particolare pp. 113ss.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and practical workshops concerning reading and analysis of documents.

Assessment methods

For attenders and unattenders the exam consists in an oral test.

For attenders, in particular, the test consists in the diplomatistic analysis of a document similar to those examined during the lessons, and one or two questions about the main subject analysed during the course. The aim of the exam is to evaluate the discriminating and methodological abilities of the students, that will have to examine one of the documentary types analyzed during the course. In particular, it will be evaluated the abilities of the student to orientate among documentary sources, in order to distinguish the information of historical – variable kind and the juridical formulary, and the comprehension of all those formal elements which allow to create a ruling judgment about the authenticity of the document.

For unattenders the exam consists in the evaluation of their knowledge, critical and methodological abilities gained through the reading of the bibliography. In particular, it will be evaluated if the student is able to move in the world of the documentary sources and if he is be able to handle the critical tools and the method of the discipline.
In the both cases (attenders and unattenders) the achievement of a complete comprehension of the themes studied at lesson, joined with their critical use, in addition to the demonstration of owning the competence of the specific language, will be evaluated with excellence marks. A mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, bad structured analysis abilities and/or a correct but not always appropriate language will lead to decent evaluations; formative lacks or an inappropriate language – even if in a context of basic knowledge of the exam material – will lead to marks that will not go beyond sufficiency. Formative lacks, inappropriate language, scarcity of orientation in the bibliography offered during the course will be evaluated in a negative way.

Teaching tools

During the course it will be provided didactic material: transcriptions and reproductions of documents, examples of the analysis of formularies, thematic bibliography.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Nicolaj