To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link 
Course organization
The course consists of two different sections (1, 2), 6 CFU each (30 hours = 15 lectures each one); section 2 is addressed to students needing to gain 12 CFU of Roman history LM.
Section 1, i.e. an "Introduction to Roman epigraphy", aims to introduce to the subject of inscriptions and provide some guidance towards reading and understanding the epigraphic texts (mostly in Latin).
Students will be led to: acquire some basic technical skills of the epigraphic technique, firstly in reading and dating the inscriptions; know the historical development of the epigraphic science, as well as its main collections and editions. At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to read, translate, understand, and comment the given inscriptions, grasping their helpfulness and value as fundamental sources for any thorough study about ancient Roman world.
A few introductory lectures will focus upon: the survival of epigraphic texts and the history of epigraphy; epigraphy as a branch of historical knowledge and its contribution to reconstructing Roman history; social and historical contexts of the epigraphic habit; archaeological and monumental aspects of the inscriptions; main collections and related updating.
On the basis of the inscriptions presented by the lecturer, the distinctive features of the epigraphic code (alphabet, acronyms and abbreviations, nouns, titles) will be explained, as well as methods of understanding and dating Roman inscriptions. Attention will be particularly paid to comparing inscriptions to coeval sources and documents.
| Author | Title | Publisher | Year | ISBN | Note |
| A. Buonopane | Manuale di epigrafia latina | Carocci, Roma | 2009 | Capitoli da concordare | |
| Geraci G., Marcone A. | Storia romana | Mondadori Education | 2016 | 9788800746953 | capitoli da concordare |
The oral exam will aim to check firstly the student’s knowledge of events, subjects and topics as outlined in the textbooks and by the lecturers; then, his ability to understand and comment on the inscriptions and/or on documents, putting them in their proper historical contexts; finally, his thorough study of one (minimum) topic/document by personal choice.
