29626 - Numismatics (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to use the large amount of information provided by the numismatic evidence in order to analyze and reconstruct historical and archaeological contexts, Furthermore, students will be able to interpretet ancient coin iconography as an important source for historical and artistic studies, in the light of the political and technical rules governing iconographic choices. Students will know how to identify coins of several periods. They will be able to organize the scientific use of the data, contextualizing them in the history of the territory and to reach out to public audiences. They will fully utilize the main digital tools in the areas of specific competence.

Course contents

The course is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for the study of coin production in the Greek and Roman world, as well as to delineate the main characteristics of medieval coinage in northern Italy. Numismatic documents will be valued both as archaeological evidence and as historical sources.

The following topics will be covered during the course:

• Characteristics and contents of the discipline.
• Coins as historical sources.
• Coins in archaeological context: stray coins, coins in layers, coin hoards; dating criteria 
• Coinage in the ancient world: features and functions.
• Outline of Greek and Roman numismatics.
• Identification and classification of numismatic materials.
• Focus topics:
  - "The mint of Ravenna and its coinage";
  - "Outline of Medieval numismatics: the coin hoard of via Luca Longhi in Ravenna".

Readings/Bibliography

The following bibliography is mandatory for exam preparation

Attending students:

Textbook

• F. Barello, Archeologia della moneta. Produzione e utilizzo nell'antichità, Roma 2006.

Articles (focus topics)

• A.L. Morelli, La zecca di Ravenna, in E. Filippini, A.L. Morelli, S. Pennestrì (a cura di), Musei Nazionali di Ravenna. Museo Nazionale di Ravenna. Il medagliere (Notiziario del Portale Numismatico dello Stato - Serie "Medaglieri Italiani 20), Roma 2024, pp. 325-335 [https://www.medaglieri.numismaticadellostato.it/static/notiziario/Notiziario_20_2024.pdf].

• A.L. Morelli, Il gruzzolo di via Luca Longhi a Ravenna, in E. Ercolani Cocchi (a cura di), Il gruzzolo di via Luca Longhi a Ravenna. Città, monete e mercanti nel Medioevo, Ravenna 1997, pp. 19-29.

• E. Ercolani Cocchi, Monete ed economia a Ravenna. Dal periodo longobardo all'inizio della dominazione veneziana, in E. Ercolani Cocchi (a cura di), Il gruzzolo di via Luca Longhi a Ravenna, Città, monete e mercanti nel Medioevo, Ravenna 1997, pp. 11-18.

Further reading for non attending-students:

• A.L. Morelli, P. Novara, Sedi di zecca e monetazione in Ravenna dall'antichità al tardo medioevo, in "Atti e Memorie della Deputazione di Storia Patria per le province di Romagna" 58, 2008, pp. 151-200.

All bibliographic resources are available on the platform virtuale.unibo.it.

Teaching methods

• Frontal lessons.
• Practical exercises: identification and cataloguing of ancient coins.
• Optional visit to the coin cabinet of the National Museum of Ravenna, with direct observation of specimens from the numismatic collection.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

The final exam will be oral and will assess students’ knowledge of the course contents, on the basis of the bibliographic material indicated above.

Students will be asked to provide an organic view of the topics developed during the course, making connections between them and showing the ability to analyze and interpret the acquired data.

In particular, each student will be asked two questions aimed at assessing basic knowledge of numismatics (textbook by F. Barello). A third question will concern the articles included in the course bibliography for the focus topics.

• Top marks will be awarded to students displaying their ability to use the numismatic evidence as a source for historical reconstruction, combined with a critical approach to the discipline and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology.
• Fair marks will be awarded to students demonstrating a mnemonic knowledge of the subject, combined with a correct, but not always appropriate, command of the field-specific language.
• A pass mark (or just above) will be assigned to students showing a superficial knowledge of the material, in addition to a scarce analytical and expressive ability in the discussion of the topics examined.
• Students will be deemed to have failed the exam if they display significant gaps in their understanding of the subject, in addition to a partial and inadequate knowledge of the bibliography, and/or together with a poor command of the appropriate terminology.
  
  

Students will not be admitted to the oral exam if they have not prepared all the required bibliography.

Exam sessions for the A.Y. 2025/2026 are expected to be held in the following months (the exact dates will be published on AlmaEsami well in advance):

- January 2026 (for all students);
- February 2026 (for all students);
- March 2026 (for all students);
- May 2026 (for all students);
- June 2026 (for all students);
- July 2026 (for all students);
- September 2026 (for students with pending exam);
- October 2026 (for students with pending exam);
- November 2026 (for students with pending exam).

Teaching tools

• PowerPoint presentations of the topics covered in class.
• Use of traditional tools and online resources for numismatic research.

All support material for learning is available on the platform virtuale.unibo.it.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Erica Filippini