SCIENZE UMANISTICHEClassical philologyAcademic Year 2022/2023

1004580 - FILOLOGIA BIZANTINA A - Z

Teacher: GIOACCHINO STRANO

Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding.

The student will have a good mastery of the methods and scientific contents related to the main processes and phenomena of Byzantine Philology; he will also have an in-depth knowledge of the forms of transmission of ancient and late ancient texts through Byzantine mediation.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.

The student will be able to frame the literary and cultural themes inherent in Byzantine Philology.

Autonomy of judgement.

The course will allow students to acquire:

- awareness of the basic methodological processes of Philological research;

- awareness of the social and cultural relevance of the historical-cultural Byzantine heritage.

Communication skills.

The student will be able to communicate in oral and written form on the main themes of the discipline, using the most appropriate argumentative methods and using the disciplinary terminology of Byzantine Philology.

Learning skills.

The student will then have acquired the ability to deal autonomously with the study of specific themes of Byzantine Philology with methodological rigour, showing autonomous capacities of analysis and synthesis.

Course Structure

Frontal Lessons on Byzantine Ecphrastic Poetry, with reading, translation, and philological commentary of Paul the Silentiary's Descriptio Sanctae Sophiae.

Required Prerequisites

Adequate knowledge of Greek and Latin languages and possession of the prerequisite of knowledge of the principles of classical philology.

Attendance of Lessons

Face-to-face Lessons.

Detailed Course Content

A) A sketch of the History of Byzantine Philology;

B) The Byzantine ecphrastic Poetry and with reading, translation and philological commentary of Paul the Silentiary's poem.

Textbook Information

The first part (Part A) of the program consists of the study of these books:

1) N.G. Wilson, Filologi bizantini, trad. it., Napoli 1990, pp. 1-425.

2) Judith Herrin, Bisanzio. Storia dell'impero che unì due mondi, Milano, Rizzoli, 2021, pp. 1-416.

On Part B:

Pauli Silentiarii Descriptio S. Sophiae, descriptio Ambonis, ed. C. De Stefani, Berolini et Novi Eboraci 201, pp. 1-71.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.

Course Planning

	Subjects	Text References
1	Introduction to the course
2	The literary Byzantine Culture
3	Transmission ot ht texts from Antiquity to the Byzantine Periods
4	Selection of the classical Literature in the Byzantine Era
5	Paganism and Christianism
6	Classical paideia in Byzantium
7	Culture in the dark Ages
8	The Byzantine Renaissance of IX-X Centuries
9	The Bibliotheca of Photios
10	The Encyclopedism of Constantine Prophyrogenitos
11	The Byzantine Philologists XI to XII Centuries
12	The role of Eustathios of Thessalonika
13	The Byzantine Ecphrastic Poetry
14	Paul the Silentiary's description of Hagia Sophia
15	Reading of the ecphrastic poem of Paul the Silentiary, with philological analysis
16	Reading of the ecphrastic poem with philological analysis
17	Reading of the ecphrastic poem with philological analysis
18	Reading of the ecphrastic poem with philological analysis

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Oral exam. There will also be an ongoing test.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

1) Transmission of the ancient Greek Texts in Byzantium.

2) Byzantine Philologists.

Versione in italiano