OVERVIEW

Papyrus fragments may offer an extraordinary glimpse into the life of Greek-Roman Egypt. Learning how to read papyri, the methods and tools to understand their meaning opens great perspectives in history, archaeology, philology and many other fields.

Knowledge of ancient Greek is required

AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course has as its aims: to provide students with the technical and methodological skills to know how to deal with the critical reading of literary and documentary papyri, to contextualize and know how to analyse papyri as historical, philological and literary sources; to make students understand the contribution of papyrology to our knowledge on the political, socio-economic and cultural life of Greek-Roman Egypt; to raise awareness on the material aspects of documents and libraries copies in antiquity; to encourage the development of active skills for deciphering, transcription and edition of papyri.

TEACHING METHODS

Combination of PowerPoint presentations, traditional lectures, and classroom exercises on papyri (conservation, transcription, use of IT tools).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The theoretical and methodological foundations of papyrology.

The papyri as historical sources on political, economic and cultural contexts in Greek-Roman Egypt.

IT tools applied to papyrology.

Exercises of transcription and critical reading on papyrus fragments preserved at the University of Genoa DAFIST Department.

Non-attending students are encouraged to contact the teacher (serena.perrone@unige.it).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

A handbook to choose from:

• M. Capasso, Introduzione alla papirologia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005
• E. G. Turner, Greek Papyri. An introduction, Oxford, Clarendon, 1968.

A reading to choose from:

• R.S. Bagnall, Reading Papyri, Writing Ancient History, London and New York, Routledge, 1995;
• P. Parsons, City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish. Greek lives in Roman Egypt, London, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2007.

Further documents will be provided in class and via AulaWeb

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SERENA PERRONE (President)

FRANCO MONTANARI

LARA PAGANI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

16/02/2018

Class schedule

PAPYROLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam to assess the acquisition of the theoretical and methodological aspects of the discipline and the ability to address the critical reading of some selected papyri (made available via Aulaweb)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam consists of an interview about the theoretical and practical aspects of papyrology. In order to reach the basic threshold students should demonstrate their knowledge of the contribution of papyrological documentation in the historical-cultural context of Greco-Roman Egypt, and practical skills on the transcription system and papyrological tools. In order to reach an evaluation of excellence, students should demonstrate their ability to address the critical reading of selected papyri, deciphering the writing, understanding the text, and grasp significant aspects in an interdisciplinary perspective.

Exam schedule