OVERVIEW

The course's aim is to outline the main features of Etruscan civilization from protohistory to the romanization (9th-1st centuries B.C.).

It is well known that the Etruscan civilization, thanks to its early contacts with other cultures, was an extraordinary, highly developed civilization: it reached peaks in all the domains of human knowledge and it substantially contributed to the development of a vast area in Italy which was linguistically, politically and socially uniform.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course is meant to help students acquire: - knowledge of the main features of Etruscan civilization from protohistory to the romanization (9th-1st centuries B.C.). - good understanding of the dynamics underlying the origin and development of Etruscan civilization in the Italian peninsula over the centuries;
- analytical abilities and the ability to outline a historical synthesis from the major archaeological vestiges.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding:
Students will acquire solid basic knowledge in the domain of Etruscology; they will have a good understanding of the dynamics underlying the origin and development of Etruscan civilization in the Italian peninsula over the centuries;
Applying knowledge and understanding:
Students will be able to conduct a typological, iconographic and stylistic analysis of Etruscan artifacts by referring to the appropriate historical, social and cultural contexts, thus proving their analytical abilities and their ability to provide a historical synthesis.
Making judgments:
Students will be able to use the knowledge and competences to develop an autonomous work method, to perfect their critical abilities and their abilities to make judgments, and to apply all this in the field of historic and archaeological research. Students' ability to make judgments will be assessed –together with students' success in learning– during the oral exam.
Communication skills:
Students will be able to present their knowledge of Etruscology to both experts and non-experts; they will be able to use information and communications technology tools and linguistic tools; they will develop a working method which enables them to work both independently and as part of a team.  Such abilities will be assessed –together with students' success in learning– during the oral exam.

Learning skills:
Students will acquire and develop their own working method; they will be able to understand and process scientific texts; they will acquire the ability to analyze and synthesize information adequately in order to autonomously face the challenges of postgraduate studies. Students' proficiency will be assessed during the semester and during the final exam (oral exam).

PREREQUISITES

Basic notions of Classical Archeology, Roman history, Greek history, Greek Epigraphy and Latin Epigraphy.

All students wishing to attend the course are required to sign up to Aulaweb.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be articulated with frontal lessons with Powerpoint and some multimedia videos.
There will also be a guided tour for a total of 12 hours in ROMA (two days, overnight stay):

1. TOUR OF THE GREAT ROME OF THE TARQUINIl (during which we will visit the most important archaeological evidence relating to the period of TARQUINIUS PRISCUS - SERVIUS TULLIUS - TARQUINIUS  SUPERBUS 616-509 BC): Circus Maximus, Cloaca Maxima, Forum Boarius, Sant'Omobono Area, Servian Walls.

2. GUIDED VISIT TO THE CAPITOLINE MUSEUM  (in particular at the Temple of Jupiter Maximus, the Etruscan finds form Sant'Omobono area, the Etruscan finds of the Castellani Collection, the Capitoline She Wolf, the Capitoline Brutus)

3. GUIDED VISIT TO THE ETRUSCAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VILLA GIULIA: Vulci, Cerveteri, Pyrgi, Epigraphy, Collection of the Kircherianus, Collection of E. Gorga, Collection of  E. Berman, Collection of the Castellani family; Bisenzio, Capena, Ager Faliscus, Veii.

4. GUIDED VISIT TO THE MUSEUM OF VILLA PONIATOWSKI (Detached House of the Etruscan National Museum of Villa Giulia where the finds  from the sites of Latium vetus and Umbria are exhibited: (Gabii, Satricum, Signia, Aletrium, Lanuvium, Praeneste, Velitrae, Nemi).

5. GUIDED VISIT TO THE GREGORIAN ETRUSCAN MUSEUM (VATICAN CITY): Regolini Galassi Tomb, Giulimondi Tomb, Tomb of the Tripod, Calabresi Tomb,  Bronzes Room, Sculptures Room, Terracottas Room, Jewellery Room, Vases Rooms.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course will address general themes pertaining to the history of Etruscology, Etruscan language and writing, institutions, religion, and then it will present the history of Etruscan civilization through the historical evidence provided by literary and archaeological sources from different periods in Etruscan history (protohistoric period, orientalizing period, archaic, classic and hellenistic periods, and romanization).

The course will consist in teacher-led lectures (supported by slide shows and videos) on the following themes:

1. Introduction to Etruscan civilization
2. History of Etruscology
3. Etruscan language and writing (including Etruscan epigraphy exercises)
4. Institutions
5. Religion
6. Villanova facies
7. The orientalizing period: the rise of aristocracy, culture in the Age of princes
8. The orientalizing period (southern Etruria, northern Etruria and Latium vetus)
9. The orientalizing period (Sabina region, Picenum, Campania, Padanian Etruria)
10. Archaic period: the end of aristocracy and the rise of demos, the age of monumentalization of Etruscan cities.
11. Classic period: the supremacy of inner Etruria and the weakening of coastal Etruria;
12. Hellenistic period and the conflict with Rome

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The reading list for this course, together with the lecturer's suggestions and instructions are available on the Italian version of the web page.

Bibliography:

- Mario Torelli, Storia degli Etruschi, Economica Laterza, Roma-Bari 2005.
- M. Cristofani (a cura di), Gli Etruschi. Una nuova immagine, Giunti Editore, Firenze 1984.
- Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli - Mario Torelli, L'arte dell'antichità classica. Etruria-Roma, Etruria, schede nn. 1-200, UTET Università, Torino 1976 (o edizioni successive).

For students in the philological sector, also the article:

Paola Magrini, Gli Etruschi nelle testimonianze degli antichi, in Studi e materiali. Scienza dell'antichità in Toscana, Volume 6, 1991, pp. 142-145

(available on https://books.google.it/books?id=8qvmXFd4_ooC&pg=PA142&dq=etruschi+fonti+classiche&hl=it&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUx7Xeh__iAhXQ_KQKHd3LDJQQuwUIMjAB#v=onepage&q=etruschi%20fonti%20classiche&f=false)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA AMBROSINI (President)

BIANCA MARIA GIANNATTASIO

SILVIA PALLECCHI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons will start on September 19, 2019 at 3 pm, except for unforeseen events. Lessons will take place on Thursday from 3 pm to 6 pm and Friday from 9 am to 12 pm.
The last lessons  will take place in Rome with the guided visit, lasting two days (with overnight stay Wednesdaynight) of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia and Villa Poniatowski, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Capitoline Museums, and of the archaeological monuments of the Great Rome of the Tarquins ".

Dates of the lessons A.A. 2019-2020:

- 19-20, 26-27 September 2019;

- 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25  October 2019,

- 7-8 November 2019

- 14-15 November 2019: Guided Tour of Rome:

 14 November 2019: Rome: National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia and Villa Poniatowski

 15 November 2019: Rome: Gregorian Etruscan Museum, of the Capitoline Museums, and of the archaeological monuments of the Great Rome of the Tarquins.

Class schedule

ETRUSCOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral exam. Minimum 'pass' requirements are: good knowledge of the Etruscan history and civilization, from its origins to the romanization; ability to critically analyze topics and to contextualize them; ability to express oneself clearly. 'Excellence' requirements are: good knowledge of the historical dynamics underlying the interaction between the Etruscans, the other Mediterranean civilizations and the populations of Italy and Magna Graecia; knowledge of the structure of Etruscan cities, of Etruscan artistic production and Etruscan craft production; ability to conduct critical, historical and archaeological analysis.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

PROF. LAURA AMBROSINI