OVERVIEW

The course offers an overview of some crucial Byzantine literary texts, from scratch to the top: students start reading a manuscript, understanding some layers of the text (in terms of lexicon, style, variant readings, literary imitation, variatio and historical context) and will be guided towards a philological/literary commentary.

A good knowledge of ancient Greek is required.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide the following knowledge, skills and abilities: - read in Greek and translate into Italian some fundamental texts of the Byzantine millennium (until 1453); - know the main Byzantine literary genres in their diachronic development and the contribution of individual authors; - conduct a philological, linguistic, stylistic and literary exegesis of literary texts, including manuscripts; - contextualize the texts both as for their relationship with the cultural heritage of Greco-Roman antiquity and within the specific literary and cultural configuration of the Byzantine age; - identify the role of individual texts and authors in the success of some imperial literary and ideological themes.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims

• Recognising literary genres (specific codes);
• Analysing the characteristics of Byzantine civilisation found in texts (paideia, basileia, mimesis);
• Evaluating essential messages from the text (exegesis);
• Understanding the layers of meaning in the text (polysemy);

Learning outcomes

It is expected that, at the end of teaching attendance and the study of the related program, students will be able:

(a) to read correctly and accurately translate the proposed texts with awareness of the multiple meanings;

(b) to connect the texts to the characters of the literary genre they belong to;

(c) to read the manuscripts which hand down the texts, read the critical apparatus correctly, follow the path that leads from the witnesses to the edition, the translation and the comment;

(d) to critically address the reading of a critical essay/article, drawing up a reasoned report and critical assessment of it.

SOFT SKILLS which can be certified to every student upon evaluation of the report:

• functional literacy competence – basic level;
• personal competence – basic level;
  SOFT SKILLS for students who take active part in the flipped classroom:
• functional literacy competence – advanced level;
• personal competence – advanced level;
• learning-to-learn competence – advanced level
  The SoftSkills can be certified with an OPENBADGE after the oral exam, provided that the evaluation is no less than 25/30.
  Please contact the professor for further information.

PREREQUISITES

A good knowledge of ancient Greek is necessary to take the course.

TEACHING METHODS

Lessons will be held in presence. Attendance, although not compulsory, is recommended. Only those who attend lessons in presence will be deemed attending students.

The professor, subject to the University of Genoa guidelines, allows distance learning of lessons and related recordings via Microsoft Teams upon specific request by single students.

Classes will be complemented with Power Point/pdf presentations and various kinds of interaction, including flipped classroom. A laboratory of translation via online lexica (GI, LSJ, LBG and so on) will be complemented by samples of focused commentaries.

Those who take part in the (optional) Flipped classroom will work on the following SOFT SKILLS:

• functional literacy competence – advanced level;
• personal competence – advanced level;
• learning-to-learn competence – advanced level.

The final report (see below) allows all students to work on the following SOFT SKILLS: functional literacy competence – basic level; personal competence – basic level.

It is requested to subscribe on Aulaweb as well, in order to get information, didactic material, notices, bibliography and so on.

Non-attending students are requested to contact the professor for supplementary readings and/or a tailor-made content/schedule.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The dream of a universal empire

The Byzantine millennium (330-1453 A.D.) feeds on literary traditions rooted in Eastern and Greco-Roman antiquity, as well as biblical and Christian culture. This is why the vast majority of literature in Greek comes to us through Byzantine manuscripts. The programme of the Byzantine literature module includes the reading and analysis of texts that exemplify the late antique and Byzantine ideal/ideology of basileia, starting with the reading of significant manuscripts, moving on to an Italian translation and arriving at a full-length commentary on selected passages. In class, general tools will be provided to orient students in the specific bibliography, also digital, and in the critical apparatus of the reference editions.

Three lessons by dr. Arianna Magnolo, post-doc, will be offered in Italian about “Byzantine Poetry".

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Relevant texts and selected pages/open access weblinks can be found on Aulaweb.

Students are kindly asked to wait the lessons start and a confirmation about the bibliography by the professor before buying/loaning the texts.

(a) Byzantine texts in Greek (selected passages will be found on Aulaweb):

Herodotus I 95; 106-107; 130; 177-8; Aristoteles Politica 1284b; Polybius XXIX 21; Diodorus II 32; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman antiquities I 2, 2; Nicholas of Damascus frr. 22 e 66 Parmentier; Strabo XI 13, 5; XV 23, 2; Appianus, Proem 9; Eusebius, Chronicon pp. 98-106 Aucher; Agathias, Histories II 25, 4-9; John Malalas VI 5-11; George the Monk Proem 4, 3-10; I 8, 15; 12, 19-20; 15, 21-23; 19, 25; Suidas Lexicon Alfa 4289, Rho 246

(b) Bibliography (a fully English list may be requested instead)

P. Magdalino, Basileia: the Idea of Monarchy in Byzantium, 600-1200, in A. Kaldellis-N. Siniossoglou (eds.), The Cambridge Intellectual History of Byzantium, Cambridge 2017, pp. 575-598.

L. R. Cresci - F. Gazzano (eds.), De Imperiis. L’idea di impero universale e la successione degli imperi nell’antichità, (Rapporti interstatali nella storia. Dall’antichità al mondo contemporaneo 7), Roma 2018.

(c) A Summary of Byzantine literature (optional for students who have already passed Byzantine philology):

either - A. Rhoby,  La letteratura bizantina. Un profilo storico, Roma: Carocci, 2022

or - A. KAMBYLIS, Compendio della letteratura bizantina, in H.-G. NESSELRATH, Introduzione alla filologia greca, trad. it., Roma: Salerno Editrice, 2004, pp. 446-478.

Students may choose a wholly English bibliography: please contact the professor as soon as possible via email (pia.carolla@unige.it).

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PIA CAROLLA (President)

FRANCESCA GAZZANO

DOMENICO LOSAPPIO (President Substitute)

MARTINA BIAMINO (Substitute)

LIA RAFFAELLA CRESCI (Substitute)

AGNESE FONTANA (Substitute)

CLARA FOSSATI (Substitute)

ARIANNA MAGNOLO (Substitute)

FRANCESCO VANONI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

On 24th September 2024.

Class schedule

BYZANTINE LITERATURE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam.

Prior to the examination, all students are required to submit a written or oral report (see below, Assessment methods; see also above, Teaching Methods).

Erasmus students not proficient in Italian may request a substitutive bibliography, and take the examination in English (or German).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral exam: students will be asked to read the Greek text, to translate it into English (or Italian, or German) and to provide a historical, literary, philological and linguistic commentary of the texts analyzed during the course, in order to assess their knowledge of the language, literary genre and tradition of each text. The students will present the laboratory activity conducted on the text, from the reading of the manuscript to the elaboration of a commentary
Before the oral exam, the students will deliver a written report on a critical article/contribution (to be chosen by the student in a list); the aim is to assess their level of proficiency in text analysis and synthesis. The report has to be written either fully in English or in a rather accurate Italian (B1 level for non-native speakers) and to summarize the essential contents of the reading. 'Excellence' requirements for the written test are: writing an effective, reasonable report on the argumentation, by underlining its strengths and weaknesses as well. The students email (or hand over) the report before the oral exam.

Minimum 'pass' requirements for the oral exam are: (i) being able to read the manuscript analyzed in class, (ii) being able to translate and (iii) to comment texts by outlining the major linguistic, literary and philological features of such texts.

'Excellence' requirements are: being able to confidently read manuscripts, to translate and comment texts accurately by making connections with Byzantine literary context; being able to point out accurately all aspects of texts: linguistic, historical, literary and philological features.

At the end of the oral exam, the student presents the report, just to confirm his/her authorship and abilities.

The teaching method of the report gives the opportunity to work on the following Soft Skills: (a) Functional literacy basic level; (b) Personal competence basic level. They are certified by an OpenBadge.

In addition, those who have actively participated in the Flipped classroom can be given the OpenBadge of (a) Functional literacy advanced level; (b) Personal competence advanced level.c) Learning-to-learn advanced level.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please enroll on Aulaweb as well, in order to get notices and useful information.

Non-attending students are kindly requested to email the professor at the beginning of the lessons/term.

Students with disabilities or learning disorders are entitled specific adjustments, provided they upload the relevant certifications and documents on the University's dedicated webpage. See http://servizionline.unige.it under rubric 'Students'. The documents will be validated by the relevant office within the University (Settore servizi per l'inclusione degli studenti con disabilità e con DSA dell'Ateneo) (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111). At least 10 days before the exam, students will have to email the professor, Cc'ing the aforementioned office, as well as the School's deputy for matters concerning students with disabilities and learning disorders (elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it). Please specify the following in your email:

- name, surname, student number
- course name and number
- date of your exam
- adjustments required.
Once the School's representative confirms your eligibility, you will liaise with your professor to finalize the details. The final decision on what adjustments are acceptable rests with your professor. Please note that any request must be sent at least 10 days before your exam, to successfully complete the process in time. Please also note that the mind maps to be used on the day of your exam have to be significantly more concise than those you use when you study. For further information, please see: https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf

Please contact the professor for any further information in English: pia.carolla@unige.it