Greek epistolography from the Classical to the Imperial Age (Ordinario)
Prerequisiti
Designed primarily for undergraduate students, the course is also open to PhD students. A good knowledge of ancient Greek is required.
Programma
Greek epistolography from the Classical to the Imperial Age
The course analyzes central problems and texts in Greek epistolography. It will cover key areas such as the linguistic, philological, philosophical, literary, and interpretive aspects of the texts examined.
The introductory teaching (didattica integrativa), beginning in October 2025, will cover essential philological, linguistic, and literary concepts crucial for both the main course and seminar preparation.
The module on epistolography will then start in November 2025.
Students are required to give a seminar presentation in May 2026 (this date is negotiable). This oral report should be approximately 45 minutes long and address a topic related to the course themes. Students must agree on their topic with the lecturer at least one month before their presentation date.
Each student must also prepare a written text (indicatively 4-10 pages) to accompany their seminar. This text should include key citations from ancient sources (with translations) and relevant modern critical discussions, along with a complete bibliography of consulted works. A draft of this written text must be emailed to the lecturer at least one week before the seminar. The final version is due on the day of the seminar. For the presentation itself, students should print a maximum of two pages; the complete text can be uploaded to the course's online folders.
Obiettivi formativi
This course aims to develop detailed knowledge of ancient Greek epistolography through the study of key texts and their interpretations. We will explore various forms of letters, including embedded letters in historiography, private correspondence, and letters addressed to communities. Specifically, we will read Emperor Julian's Letters to the Athenians and Saint Basil's Letter 2.
Upon completion, students will have acquired:
- A comprehensive understanding of the main theories and interpretative approaches in ancient Greek epistolography.
- The ability to identify relevant research questions concerning the literary, philological, and linguistic interpretation of ancient Greek letters.
- Proficiency in applying appropriate literary and philological methodologies to address these research questions.
- The skill to construct and organize compelling arguments for interpretative problems, potentially contributing to the current state of scholarship
Riferimenti bibliografici
Bidez, J., Rochefort, G., Lacombrade, C. (1924-1964) L'empereur Julien: Oeuvres complètes, Paris.
Ceccarelli, P. (2013) Ancient greek letter writing: a cultural history (600 BC-150 BC), Oxford.
Ceccarelli, P., Doering, L., Fögen, T., Gildenhard, I. (eds.) (2018) Letters and communities: studies in the socio-political dimensions of ancient epistolography, Oxford.
Courtonne, Y. (1973) Un témoin du IVe siècle oriental: Saint Basile et son temps d'après sa correspondance, Paris.
Courtonne, Y. (1957-1966) Saint Basile: Correspondance (Tomes I-III), Paris
De Vita, M. C. (2022) Giuliano imperatore: Lettere e discorsi, Milano.
Elm, S. (2012) Sons of Hellenism, fathers of the church: Emperor Julian, Gregory of Nazianzus, and the vision of Rome, Berkeley.
Hanink, J. (2010) 'The life of the author in the letters of “Euripides”’, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 50, 537–64.
Hercher, R. (1873) Epistolographoi Hellēnikoi. Epistolographi Graeci, Parisiis.
Jenkins, T. E. (2006) Intercepted letters: epistolarity and narrative in Greek and Roman literature, Lanham.
Morello, R., Morrison, A. D. (2007) Ancient letters: classical and late antique epistolography, Oxford.
Neil, B., Allen, P. (eds.) (2015) Collecting early Christian letters from the apostle Paul to late antiquity, Cambridge.
Rosenmeyer, P. A. (2001) Ancient epistolary fictions: the letter in Greek literature, Cambridge.
Rosenmeyer, P. A. (2006) Ancient Greek Literary Letters: selections in translation, Abingdon/New York.
Rosenmeyer, P. A. (2017), 'Greek Literary Letters', Oxford Bibliographies: Classics, 10.1093/obo/9780195389661-0255
Sogno, C., Storin, B. K., Watts, E. J. (2016) (eds.), Late antique letter collections: a critical introduction and reference guide, Oakland
Storin, B. K. (2019) Self-portrait in three colors: Gregory of Nazianzus's epistolary autobiography, Oakland
Moduli
| Modulo | Ore | CFU | Docenti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modulo 1: Epistolografia greca: seminari per il corso ordinario (per ordinari) | 20 | 3 | Luigi Battezzato |
| Modulo 2: Epistolografia greca (per ordinari e PhD) | 20 | 3 | Luigi Battezzato |
| Supplementary Teaching (per ordinari) | 20 | 0 | Valeria Annunziata, Luca Flocco, Antonio Papapicco, Camillo Carlo Pellizzari Di San Girolamo |
| Supplementary Teaching (per ordinari e PhD) | 12 | 0 | Marco Catrambone, Andrea Rossi, Maria Giovanna Sandri |