Unit HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT WORLD
- Course
- Humanities
- Study-unit Code
- 35301806
- Curriculum
- Classico
- Teacher
- Silvia Panichi
- Teachers
-
- Silvia Panichi
- Hours
- 36 ore - Silvia Panichi
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2018
- Offered
- 2019/20
- Learning activities
- Affine/integrativa
- Area
- Attività formative affini o integrative
- Academic discipline
- L-ANT/02
- Type of study-unit
- Opzionale (Optional)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- Institutional part: history of ancient geography from Homer (8th century BC) to Ptolemy (2nd century AD). Monographic part (a.a. 2019-2020): Italy in the Geography of Strabo (V and VI book).
- Reference texts
- S.Bianchetti, Geografia storica del mondo antico, Monduzzo Editore, Bologna 2008; A.-M. Biraschi (a cura di), Strabone Geografia L’Italia (Libri V e VI), Rizzoli, 20148.During the course are provided the necessary bibliographical indications, with particular attention to the most relevant updates.
- Educational objectives
- The student will have to demonstrate that he understood how the ancients organized geographic knowledge from the point of view not only of the description, but also of the representation of the inhabited world (the so-called ecumene). He will also have to demonstrate that he has achieved an appropriate expressive ability and an adequate critical ability.
- Prerequisites
- The course provides a preliminary explanation of the historical assumptions of ancient geographic knowledge and the fundamental terms and expressions of the technical language of ancient geography.
- Teaching methods
- Most of the lessons are built around an ancient source, presented in the original language (Greek and Latin) with modern translation (Italian, English, etc.) according to the chosen edition. At the same time, the necessary bibliographical indications are provided, with particular attention to the most relevant updates. The use of maps drawn from geographical and historical atlases is practically constant.
- Other information
- Non-attending students will add the following text: C. Bonnet, I Fenici, Carocci Editore, 2004.
- Learning verification modality
- It consists of an oral exam (approx. 30 '). It begins with a general question, relating to the institutional part, to verify the candidate's ability to select the information available with which to construct a speech with a start, a development and an outcome. The exam continues with four specific questions, to verify the level of preparation achieved: two questions on the institutional part again and the remaining ones on the monographic course. In closing, the candidate is invited to locate toponyms, coronyms, hydronyms, etc. on a blank map.
- Extended program
- The course opens with the literary genre of the periplus, in order to draw attention to the main feature of ancient geography, namely the maritime perspective from which the ecumene was always described. With Anaximander of Miletus (6th century BC) the 'cartographic' branch begins, which goes up to Ptolemy of Alexandria (2nd century AD) passing through Eratosthenes of Cyrene (mid 3rd century BC), who first built a scientific map of the ecumene, based on a rudimentary network of meridians and parallels. Two generations later, always in Miletus, Hecateus started the 'descriptive' branch with the periegesis of the oikoumene, which continued until the second century. d. C. with the periegesis of Greece by Pausanias. Latin geography is examined through the works of M. Vipsanius Agrippa, Pomponius Mela and Plinius. The monographic course opens with a focus on Strabo, historian and geographer active under Augustus and Tiberius, and continues with the reading of the description of Italy. In books V and VI Strabo examines the economic and civil life of the peoples and cities of the peninsula including the islands, underlining the pacifying and civilizing function of Rome.