OVERVIEW

Medieval and Humanistic Latin Literature focuses on the Latin literary works composed during the Middle Ages and the Humanist period, as well as on their authors, literary genres, and the cultural contexts in which they were produced. The discipline may also serve as a valuable tool for obtaining information of a historical, artistic, and archaeological nature.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide an essential overview of the main genres and authors of Latin literature from the sixth to the fifteenth century, also through the reading and commentary of some texts, with particular attention to the identification of possible relationships between literary facts and aspects of the historical, artistic and archaeological fields.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course is designed to offer an overview of the most significant issues relating to Medieval and Humanistic Latin literature, including the direct reading of texts. A specific section of the course will be devoted to the theme of the city through the reading, analysis, and commentary of two medieval Latin works, the Liber de obsidione Ancone and the De magnalibus Mediolani, with the aim of highlighting the relationship between literary expression and questions of a more strictly historical and archaeological nature.

Participation in course activities and independent study will enable students to acquire:

• theoretical and methodological knowledge of the principal issues related to the discipline;
• the ability to critically engage with topics concerning fundamental literary knowledge;
• the ability to apply the theoretical and methodological tools acquired during the course to specific case studies;
• the ability to analyse a medieval Latin literary text and place it within its proper historical and cultural context;
• the ability to analyse a medieval Latin literary text and identify its connections with historical, artistic, and archaeological issues;
• the ability to develop a critical approach allowing them to assess different interpretations of a text and formulate independent hypotheses;
• the ability to communicate the specific features of the discipline using appropriate terminology;
• the ability to consult primary sources and secondary scholarship critically.

PREREQUISITES

None.

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of lectures. Classes will be held exclusively in person. Attendance is not compulsory but is strongly recommended. Guest seminars delivered by specialists in the field may also be organized.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course will provide an overview of the history of Latin literature from Late Antiquity to Humanism, accompanied by the reading and commentary of selected texts.

Among the topics addressed during the course are:

• the different periods of the medieval millennium;
• culture and education in the Middle Ages and the Humanist period;
• the languages of the Middle Ages;
• the transmission of texts during the medieval and humanistic periods;
• the genres of medieval and humanistic Latin literature, between continuity and innovation;
• the city between history and literature.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Attending Students

1. Course materials made available by the instructor on Aulaweb;
2. Anthology of texts read and discussed during classes, available on Aulaweb;
3. Lecture notes, slides, and additional bibliographical materials provided during the course and made available on Aulaweb;
4. Reading and commentary of Bonvesin da la Riva's De magnalibus Mediolani, in: Bonvesin da la Riva, Le meraviglie di Milano (De magnalibus Mediolani), a cura di P. Chiesa, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla - A. Mondadori, [Roma-Milano] 2009;
5. Reading and commentary of Boncompagno da Signa's Liber de obsidione Ancone, in: Boncompagno da Signa, L'assedio di Ancona. Liber de obsidione Ancone, a cura di P. Garbini, Viella, Roma 1999.

Non-attending Students

1. Course materials made available by the instructor on Aulaweb;
2. Reading of Bonvesin da la Riva, Le meraviglie di Milano (De magnalibus Mediolani), a cura di P. Chiesa, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla - A. Mondadori, [Roma-Milano] 2009;
3. Reading of Boncompagno da Signa, L'assedio di Ancona. Liber de obsidione Ancone, a cura di P. Garbini, Viella, Roma 1999;
4. Reading of M. Petoletti, Milano e i suoi monumenti. La descrizione trecentesca del cronista Benzo d'Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, Alessandria 2004.

Non-attending students are required to contact the teacher in advance for a detailed explanation of the examination programme. Although not compulsory, it may be helpful to supplement exam preparation with the reading of E. D'Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale. Una storia per generi, Viella, Roma 2009.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Week beginning 15 February 2027, according to the official timetable.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination will normally consist of four or five questions relating to the readings listed in the bibliography section. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the topics covered by the course and the ability to analyse and contextualise the texts appropriately from historical, cultural, and literary perspectives.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD) can find information on how to request support services, compensatory measures, exemptions, and specific accommodations in the document available at the following link:

https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/modulistica