Greek Epigraphy
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The aim of the course it to provide students with the basic elements, methods and technical aspects of Greek epigraphy as well as an introduction to the use of inscriptions as a source for historical research.
Examination of a selection of documents, both public and private, will moreover illuminate important aspects of the political, administrative, social and cultural history of the Greek world.
Examination of a selection of documents, both public and private, will moreover illuminate important aspects of the political, administrative, social and cultural history of the Greek world.
Expected learning outcomes
The expected learning outcomes include:
- detailed knowledge of the fundamental elements of Greek epigraphy and of the core questions concerning a) the origins of alphabetic writing in the Greek world, b) its diversified uses (from basic to complex) in respect to the different writing media, and c) the various graphic and linguistic features of Greek inscriptions and their development from the archaic period to Roman times;
- ability to identify the various material features and typologies of inscriptions (public and private), as well as their specific formulaic language and their meanings and objectives as means of communication;
- ability to understand the methodological problems connected to the use of inscriptions as a source of historical information;
- ability to appropriately use the specific language of the discipline;
- basic knowledge of the essential bibliographical resources within the discipline.
- detailed knowledge of the fundamental elements of Greek epigraphy and of the core questions concerning a) the origins of alphabetic writing in the Greek world, b) its diversified uses (from basic to complex) in respect to the different writing media, and c) the various graphic and linguistic features of Greek inscriptions and their development from the archaic period to Roman times;
- ability to identify the various material features and typologies of inscriptions (public and private), as well as their specific formulaic language and their meanings and objectives as means of communication;
- ability to understand the methodological problems connected to the use of inscriptions as a source of historical information;
- ability to appropriately use the specific language of the discipline;
- basic knowledge of the essential bibliographical resources within the discipline.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Title: The epigraphic space at Delphi: monuments, memory, history of the sanctuary of Apollo through its inscriptions
The topics dealt with during the course include:
Part A-B: Greek epigraphy: alphabets, types of inscribed material, categories of texts, techniques of reading and transcribing inscriptions, digital resources for the study of Greek Epigraphy
Parts B-C: The inscriptions of Delphi: an epigraphic and historical study of the inscriptions in relation to the monuments of the sacred area and to the sanctuary of Apollo's relations with the Greek and non-Greek world
Part B will also feature a pilot initiative in integrated and coordinated teaching, conducted in collaboration with Professors Alessandro Cavagna (Ancient Numismatics), Luca Peyronel and Agnese Vacca (Archaeology and History of Ancient Western Asia), Alessandro Pace (Archaeology of Magna Grecia), and Claudia Lambrugo (Classic Ceramography, Production and Iconography) focusing on the theme "Travelling craftsmen and ideas"
The topics dealt with during the course include:
Part A-B: Greek epigraphy: alphabets, types of inscribed material, categories of texts, techniques of reading and transcribing inscriptions, digital resources for the study of Greek Epigraphy
Parts B-C: The inscriptions of Delphi: an epigraphic and historical study of the inscriptions in relation to the monuments of the sacred area and to the sanctuary of Apollo's relations with the Greek and non-Greek world
Part B will also feature a pilot initiative in integrated and coordinated teaching, conducted in collaboration with Professors Alessandro Cavagna (Ancient Numismatics), Luca Peyronel and Agnese Vacca (Archaeology and History of Ancient Western Asia), Alessandro Pace (Archaeology of Magna Grecia), and Claudia Lambrugo (Classic Ceramography, Production and Iconography) focusing on the theme "Travelling craftsmen and ideas"
Prerequisites for admission
The course is addressed to students who have already knowledge of ancient Greek and of the of the broad outlines of Greek history and of its most important events and figures.
Teaching methods
Part A will be offered in a lecture format and will be dedicated to the history of Greek epigraphy and its technical aspects. Parts B and C will be offered as seminar presentations, open to discussion and developed through the study of a set of inscriptions, analyzed both in their palaeographic aspects both in their historical, economic, institutional context. An introduction to the use of the fundamental bibliographical and electronic resources will be provided.
The teaching is also based on educational material provided on MyARIEL, where texts and documents discussed during the course will be available for downloading as well.
Attendance of the course is highly recommended.
The teaching is also based on educational material provided on MyARIEL, where texts and documents discussed during the course will be available for downloading as well.
Attendance of the course is highly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Programme for 6 ECTS for attending students
A
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section A), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
B
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section B), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
Programme for 9 ECTS for attending students
A
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section A), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
B-C
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (sections B-C), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- A.C. Cassio, Epica greca e scrittura tra VIII e VII sec. a.C.: madrepatria e colonie d'Occidente, in G. Bagnasco, F. Cordano (a cura di), Scritture mediterranee tra il IX e il VII secolo a.C. Atti del seminario (Milano, 23-24 febbraio 1998), Milano, Edizioni ET, 1998, pp. 67-84
- U. Fantasia, Tucidide, Pausania e l'iscrizione nel portico degli Ateniesi a Delfi, in Klio 96.2, 2014, pp. 437 - 454
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
- a short report on an inscription to be agreed with the teacher is required
Programme for 6 ECTS for non attending students
A
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
- G. Boffa, "Prima colonizzazione" e "primo alfabeto". Il ruolo della scrittura nell'interazione culturale fra le più antiche fondazioni greche in Occidente e l'ambiente italico, in L. Donnellan, V. Nizzo e G.-J. Burgers (eds.), Contexts of Early Colonization. Papers of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, 64. Roma, Palombi Editori, 2016, pp. 335-349
B
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
- C. Antonetti, S. De Vido, Iscrizioni greche. Un'antologia, Roma, Carocci, 2017, inscriptions nos. 11; 17; 18; 26; 37
Non-attending students are strongly encouraged to get in touch with the teacher to better agree on the exam syllabus.
Programme for 9 ECTS for non attending students
A
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
- G. Boffa, "Prima colonizzazione" e "primo alfabeto". Il ruolo della scrittura nell'interazione culturale fra le più antiche fondazioni greche in Occidente e l'ambiente italico, in L. Donnellan, V. Nizzo e G.-J. Burgers (ed. by), Contexts of Early Colonization. Papers of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, 64. Roma, Palombi Editori, 2016, pp. 335-349
B-C
- A.C. Cassio, Epica greca e scrittura tra VIII e VII sec. a.C.: madrepatria e colonie d'Occidente, in G. Bagnasco, F. Cordano (ed. by), Scritture mediterranee tra il IX e il VII secolo a.C. Atti del seminario (Milano, 23-24 febbraio 1998), Milano, Edizioni ET, 1998, pp. 67-84
- C. Antonetti, S. De Vido, Iscrizioni greche. Un'antologia, Roma, Carocci, 2017, inscriptions nos. 11; 17; 18; 26; 37
- U. Fantasia, Tucidide, Pausania e l'iscrizione nel portico degli Ateniesi a Delfi, in Klio 96.2, 2014, pp. 437 - 454
Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, text and translation by U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
Non-attending students are strongly encouraged to get in touch with the teacher to better agree on the exam syllabus.
International and Erasmus incoming students are invited to promptly get in touch with the professor in order to arrange a reading plan (available in English) for exam preparation.
A
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section A), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
B
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section B), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
Programme for 9 ECTS for attending students
A
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (section A), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
B-C
Together with the lectures notes and ancient sources examined during the course (sections B-C), the knowledge of the following texts is required:
- A.C. Cassio, Epica greca e scrittura tra VIII e VII sec. a.C.: madrepatria e colonie d'Occidente, in G. Bagnasco, F. Cordano (a cura di), Scritture mediterranee tra il IX e il VII secolo a.C. Atti del seminario (Milano, 23-24 febbraio 1998), Milano, Edizioni ET, 1998, pp. 67-84
- U. Fantasia, Tucidide, Pausania e l'iscrizione nel portico degli Ateniesi a Delfi, in Klio 96.2, 2014, pp. 437 - 454
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
- a short report on an inscription to be agreed with the teacher is required
Programme for 6 ECTS for non attending students
A
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
- G. Boffa, "Prima colonizzazione" e "primo alfabeto". Il ruolo della scrittura nell'interazione culturale fra le più antiche fondazioni greche in Occidente e l'ambiente italico, in L. Donnellan, V. Nizzo e G.-J. Burgers (eds.), Contexts of Early Colonization. Papers of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, 64. Roma, Palombi Editori, 2016, pp. 335-349
B
- Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, testo e traduzione a cura di U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
- C. Antonetti, S. De Vido, Iscrizioni greche. Un'antologia, Roma, Carocci, 2017, inscriptions nos. 11; 17; 18; 26; 37
Non-attending students are strongly encouraged to get in touch with the teacher to better agree on the exam syllabus.
Programme for 9 ECTS for non attending students
A
- M. Guarducci, L'epigrafia greca dalle origini al tardo impero, Roma, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1987, limited to pp. 10-80; 90-278; 313-320; 326-358; 418-442
- A. Inglese, A. Campus, Percorsi di ricerca in epigrafia greca, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 2024
- G. Boffa, "Prima colonizzazione" e "primo alfabeto". Il ruolo della scrittura nell'interazione culturale fra le più antiche fondazioni greche in Occidente e l'ambiente italico, in L. Donnellan, V. Nizzo e G.-J. Burgers (ed. by), Contexts of Early Colonization. Papers of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, 64. Roma, Palombi Editori, 2016, pp. 335-349
B-C
- A.C. Cassio, Epica greca e scrittura tra VIII e VII sec. a.C.: madrepatria e colonie d'Occidente, in G. Bagnasco, F. Cordano (ed. by), Scritture mediterranee tra il IX e il VII secolo a.C. Atti del seminario (Milano, 23-24 febbraio 1998), Milano, Edizioni ET, 1998, pp. 67-84
- C. Antonetti, S. De Vido, Iscrizioni greche. Un'antologia, Roma, Carocci, 2017, inscriptions nos. 11; 17; 18; 26; 37
- U. Fantasia, Tucidide, Pausania e l'iscrizione nel portico degli Ateniesi a Delfi, in Klio 96.2, 2014, pp. 437 - 454
Pausania. Descrizione della Grecia. Libro 10. Delfi e la Focide, text and translation by U. Bultrighini, commentary by U. Bultrighini and M. Torelli, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2017
Non-attending students are strongly encouraged to get in touch with the teacher to better agree on the exam syllabus.
International and Erasmus incoming students are invited to promptly get in touch with the professor in order to arrange a reading plan (available in English) for exam preparation.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is oral and aims at ascertaining students'ability to read, translate and set inscriptions in their historical context, and knowledge of the main epigraphic collections and digital tools for the study of Greek inscriptions on the basis of the materials and sources provided (and uploaded on the MyAriel platform) and of the books in the reading list. During the last lessons of the course students undertaking 9 cfu programme will prepare a short report containing critical edition and comment of an inscription to be agreed in time with the teacher, which will be evaluated together with the oral exam.
Assessment criteria are the following: ability to organize knowledge through discourse; critical reasoning skills with regard to the topics considered; ability to present topics and express oneself with the specialist language appropriate to the discipline.
Marks are out of 30. Minimum passing grade 18.
The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the professor, as well as the relevant office.
Assessment criteria are the following: ability to organize knowledge through discourse; critical reasoning skills with regard to the topics considered; ability to present topics and express oneself with the specialist language appropriate to the discipline.
Marks are out of 30. Minimum passing grade 18.
The format of the exam for students with disabilities should be arranged in advance with the professor, as well as the relevant office.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
L-ANT/02 - GREEK HISTORY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-ANT/02 - GREEK HISTORY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-ANT/02 - GREEK HISTORY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)