Ateneo - UPO

The integrated course approaches Classical literature through two coordinated modules, devoted respectively to Latin and Greek literature.

The Latin Literature A module, Maledetti, vi amerò. Essere cattivi a Roma, examines the literary, moral and cultural construction of figures perceived as “bad” in the Roman world: traitors, tyrants, conspirators, public enemies, dangerous women, infamous characters, and figures characterised by desire, ambition, violence or excess. Particular attention is devoted to gladiators and to the contradiction between their infamous social status and the fascination they exercised in the Roman imagination. The module also integrates a gender perspective by examining the relationship between female representation, power, desire, reputation, infamy and social control.

The Greek Literature A module focuses on Sophocles’ Ajax and examines themes and problems of Greek language and literature through the linguistic, historical, philological and literary analysis of the text. It also considers the main teaching methods for presenting these subjects in upper-secondary education.

Taken together, the two modules develop the ability to read, translate, contextualise and interpret Greek and Latin texts, relating language and literary forms to their historical and cultural contexts, with attention, according to the specific features of each module, to philological issues and teaching perspectives.

To pass the integrated course, students must prepare the materials required for both modules, according to their attendance status and to any particular conditions specified below.

Latin Literature A module

Students attending classes

Notes taken during the course.
A selection of Latin texts to be translated and analysed, available on the Didattica in Rete platform (DIR) by the first week of the course, in October 2026.
C. Mann, I gladiatori, Bologna, il Mulino, 2014, ISBN 9788815250582.
The following authors: Plautus, Sallust, Caesar, Cicero, Livy, Seneca, Suetonius, Juvenal and Tacitus, to be studied in a secondary-school handbook of Latin literary history used during the final three years of upper-secondary education. Alternatively: P. Fedeli, E. Malaspina, L. Antonelli, Le parole di Roma. Storia della letteratura latina, Turin, UTET Università, 2023, ISBN 9788860088598.
One of the following volumes:
F. Cenerini, Messalina. Leggenda e storia di una donna pericolosa, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2024;
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2021;
L. Canfora, Catilina. Una rivoluzione mancata, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2023;
A. Carandini, with N. Squartini, Io, Nerone, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2023.

Students not attending classes

A selection of Latin texts to be translated and analysed, available on the DIR platform by the first week of the course, in October 2026.
C. Mann, I gladiatori, Bologna, il Mulino, 2014, ISBN 9788815250582.
The following authors: Plautus, Sallust, Caesar, Cicero, Livy, Seneca, Suetonius, Juvenal and Tacitus, to be studied in a secondary-school handbook of Latin literary history used during the final three years of upper-secondary education. Alternatively: P. Fedeli, E. Malaspina, L. Antonelli, Le parole di Roma. Storia della letteratura latina, Turin, UTET Università, 2023, ISBN 9788860088598.
F. Berardi, Le vie del latino. Storia della lingua latina con elementi di grammatica storica, revised and updated second edition, Galatina, Congedo Editore, 2022, ISBN 9788867662708.
F. Biddau, Il canone del ritmo. Introduzione alla prosodia e metrica del latino classico, Rome, Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2021, ISBN 9788893595742.
Two of the following volumes:
F. Cenerini, Messalina. Leggenda e storia di una donna pericolosa, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2024;
L. Capponi, Cleopatra, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2021;
L. Canfora, Catilina. Una rivoluzione mancata, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2023;
A. Carandini, with N. Squartini, Io, Nerone, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2023.

Additional volume for students exempted from the written examination

Regularly enrolled students attending Latin Literature B or C who have passed the written examination for Latin Literature A or B from the 2022/2023 academic year onwards with a mark of at least 24/30 must also prepare:

M. C. Scappaticcio, Voci di Pompei. Latino e cultura letteraria, Rome, Carocci, 2026, ISBN 9788829036448.

Additional volume for a third iteration of the course

Regularly enrolled students attending classes who have already passed the written examination with a mark of at least 24/30 and have already prepared the volume required for the previous iteration must also prepare:

B. Santorelli, Storia della lingua latina, Rome, Carocci, 2025, ISBN 9788829032723.

Greek Literature A module

All students must prepare:

A. C. Cassio, Storia delle lingue letterarie greche, second edition, Florence, Le Monnier Università, 2016, ISBN 9788800745796.
One of the following handbooks of Greek literary history:
A. Porro, W. Lapini, C. Bevegni, Letteratura greca, Bologna, il Mulino, ISBN 9788815271600;
F. Montanari, F. Montana, Storia della letteratura greca. Dalle origini all’età imperiale, Rome-Bari, Laterza, ISBN 9788842093077;
a secondary-school handbook of Greek literary history used during the final three years of upper-secondary education.
P. J. Finglass, Sophocles. Ajax. Edited with Introduction, Translation, and Commentary, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011.
E. Csapo, M. Miller, The Origins of Theater in Ancient Greece and Beyond. From Ritual to Drama, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007, ISBN 9780521836821.

In accordance with the specific educational objectives of the Degree Programme in Humanities and with its Tuning Matrix, the integrated course aims to enable students to:

read, translate and understand texts from Greek and Latin literature, appropriately applying the morphological, syntactical and lexical knowledge required for their interpretation;
analyse texts from linguistic, literary, historical and cultural perspectives, identifying their forms, genres and main interpretative problems and, according to the specific features of the two modules, the philological elements required to understand the editions adopted;
critically interpret the representations, values and cultural categories developed in Classical literature, relating language and literary form to their historical context. More specifically, the Latin module examines the literary and moral construction of figures perceived as “bad” in the Roman world, while the Greek module develops these skills through the reading and analysis of Sophocles’ Ajax;
understand and apply the main methods for teaching Greek and Latin language and literature in upper-secondary education, selecting contents, tools and forms of presentation appropriate to the educational context.

Through the coordinated work of the two modules, the integrated course therefore aims to consolidate linguistic competence, deepen students’ knowledge of Greek and Latin literature, and develop an autonomous, well-argued and methodologically informed approach to Classical texts.

The integrated course is worth 12 ECTS credits and consists of two 6-ECTS-credit modules:

Latin Literature A: 36 hours of face-to-face teaching;
Greek Literature A: 30 hours of face-to-face teaching.

Guided reading, translation, textual analysis, discussion and class interaction take place within the scheduled face-to-face teaching hours. No separate distance-learning or online interactive-teaching activities are planned. The remaining workload consists of individual study, linguistic and textual preparation, reading of the required bibliography, and critical reworking of the materials assigned in the two modules.

Admission to the integrated course requires an Italian upper-secondary school diploma from a Liceo classico.

Students are therefore expected to possess the linguistic, historical and cultural knowledge normally acquired through this secondary-school curriculum, including:

knowledge of the main morphological and syntactical structures of Latin and Ancient Greek;
the ability to approach the translation of Latin and Greek texts with the aid of a dictionary;
essential knowledge of Greek and Roman history, culture and literature;
a good command of Italian;
basic knowledge of Ancient History and Mediterranean geography.

Holding this diploma does not necessarily imply a uniform initial level, since school curricula may differ in terms of teaching hours, content and depth. Students are therefore expected to assess their linguistic preparation before the course begins and, where necessary, promptly revise Greek and Latin morphology and syntax.

During classes, the linguistic structures required for translating and analysing the prescribed texts will be reviewed when necessary. To consolidate their Latin language skills, students may also use the tutoring activities and, where available, the exercises associated with the Latin Culture course. These activities provide additional support but do not replace the knowledge required at the beginning of the course.

Basic computer skills are also required in order to consult the materials and announcements available on the Didattica in Rete platform (DIR).

No additional formal prerequisites apply.

The integrated course consists of two coordinated modules and combines lectures, guided work on texts, class discussion and use of the Didattica in Rete platform (DIR).

Lectures provide the linguistic, historical, literary and cultural background required for the study of the prescribed texts and, according to the specific features of each module, their philological framework. They also address the main interpretative problems and the methods used to teach Greek and Latin language and literature in upper-secondary education.

A substantial part of the teaching activity consists of reading texts in the original language, translating them and analysing their morphological, syntactical, linguistic and literary features. These activities enable students to apply the knowledge acquired, consolidate their linguistic competence and develop an autonomous method of textual analysis and interpretation.

Class discussion and comparison of different interpretations are intended to encourage active participation, independent judgement, argumentative skills and the appropriate use of disciplinary terminology. Reflection on possible teaching applications also develops the ability to select and present linguistic and literary content in a manner appropriate to a school context.

The DIR platform is used to share texts, teaching materials, bibliographical guidance and announcements relating to both modules, and to support the organisation of individual study.

In the Latin Literature A module, students will take part in a simulation of the written examination during the course and may attend a simulation of the oral examination as part of the tutoring activities. Tutoring also provides targeted support for consolidating linguistic competence, revising the main morphological and syntactical structures and organising individual study.

Taken together, the teaching methods are consistent with the intended learning outcomes: lectures provide the required knowledge; guided textual work develops the ability to apply it; discussion and comparison foster independent judgement and communication skills; and the use of the materials and tools provided supports autonomous learning.

Disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders and Special Educational Needs

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request the specific services and support provided by the University by contacting the Staff for the Development and Coordination of Student Careers and Services and consulting the relevant University webpage:

https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilit%C3%A0-e-dsa

After contacting the appropriate University office, students with disabilities, SLD or SEN may contact the lecturer responsible for the relevant module to agree on teaching arrangements and, where necessary, appropriate examination procedures, in accordance with the guidance provided by the competent offices.

Assessment is unitary and jointly conducted, although it includes module-specific examinations. To pass the integrated course, students must obtain at least a passing assessment in both modules and in every compulsory or qualifying component.

Latin Literature A module. Assessment consists of a written and an oral examination, which may not be taken on the same examination date. The written examination lasts two hours, may be completed with a dictionary and consists of translating a Latin text not previously examined but comparable to the prescribed texts. It is qualifying and accounts for 45% of the module assessment. It evaluates the independent application of morphological, syntactical and linguistic knowledge. It is passed when the translation shows an overall correct understanding, recognition of the main structures and a clear and coherent Italian rendering; serious or widespread errors that compromise comprehension result in failure. Students attending classes may take it as an in-course examination at the end of the course.

The oral examination accounts for 55% and includes: translation and grammatical and syntactical analysis of a prescribed passage, worth 60% of the oral assessment; literary, historical, philological and cultural contextualisation of the passage, worth 40%; one question on each compulsory essay or volume. These questions have no separate percentage weight but are a necessary requirement: failure to read even one compulsory text prevents students from passing. Each part must receive at least a passing assessment.

Regularly enrolled students attending Latin Literature B or C who have passed the written examination for Latin Literature A or B since 2022/2023 with at least 24/30 are exempted from the written examination. In this case, the oral examination accounts for 100% and includes the additional volume listed under Textbooks. The exemption does not apply to students not attending classes or to single-course students, who must also pass a section on Latin prosody and metre.

Greek Literature A module. The examination is oral and includes: translation and morphological and syntactical analysis of a prescribed passage, 60%; contextualisation within the course, historical and literary interpretation and possible teaching applications, 30%; explanation of the critical apparatus and philological knowledge, 10%. Each section must receive at least a passing assessment.

Taken together, the examinations assess: knowledge of linguistic, literary, historical, cultural and philological content; the ability to translate, analyse and contextualise Greek and Latin texts; the application of knowledge to texts and interpretative problems; independent judgement; the ability to establish connections; clarity and accuracy of expression; use of disciplinary terminology; the ability to present content from a teaching perspective.

Preparation for the Latin written examination should focus on morphology and syntax, translation activities, the mock examination and materials available on DIR. For the oral examinations, students must prepare the texts, editions, essays, volumes and materials listed under Textbooks and Content.

Assessment criteria: 18-21/30, essential knowledge, generally correct translation and analysis, basic contextualisation and comprehensible presentation; 22-26/30, secure preparation, accuracy, appropriate terminology and relevant connections; 27-29/30, thorough knowledge, linguistic and philological precision, informed interpretation and independent presentation; 30/30, full command of content and methods; 30/30 with honours, deep and fully independent critical reflection.

The two lecturers jointly award one final mark out of thirty. Two separate marks are not awarded and averaged: the final mark results from a unitary judgement of the overall level achieved against the objectives and intended learning outcomes of the integrated course.

The integrated course consists of two coordinated modules in Latin and Greek literature and offers a programme of reading, translation, analysis and contextualisation of Classical texts in the original languages.

Latin Literature A module – Maledetti, vi amerò. Essere cattivi a Roma
The module examines the literary, moral and cultural construction of figures perceived as “bad” in the Roman world. Through texts by Plautus, Sallust, Caesar, Cicero, Livy, Seneca, Suetonius, Juvenal and Tacitus, students will study traitors, tyrants, conspirators, public enemies, dangerous women, infamous characters and figures marked by desire, ambition, violence or excess. The course considers how these representations contribute to defining order, power, identity, fear, marginality and infamy.
A specific section focuses on gladiators, who were despised because of their infamous status yet admired for their courage, strength and discipline. Work on the texts includes reading, translation, morphological and syntactical analysis, historical and literary contextualisation, and discussion of the main interpretative issues. Students not attending classes must also study elements of the history of the Latin language, prosody and metre; single-course students must prepare Latin prosody and metre.
Integration of the gender dimension: the Latin module examines female figures represented as dangerous, destabilising or morally ambiguous, with particular attention to the relationship between gender, power, desire, reputation, infamy and social control.

Greek Literature A module
The module focuses on Sophocles’ Ajax. The text is examined from linguistic, morphological, syntactical, historical, philological and literary perspectives. Particular attention is paid to understanding the critical edition and apparatus, the main interpretative problems, and the place of the work within Greek literary history and the context of ancient theatre.
The programme also includes the study of Greek literary languages and reflection on the main methods for teaching Greek language and literature in upper-secondary education.

Taken together, the two modules develop a coordinated method for analysing Classical texts, combining linguistic competence, historical and literary contextualisation, philological awareness, critical interpretation and reflection on teaching.

By the end of the integrated course, students must demonstrate that they have achieved the following learning outcomes, consistently with the objectives of the Degree Programme.

Knowledge and understanding. At the minimum passing level, students must know the fundamental content of both modules, the main morphological and syntactical structures of Greek and Latin, and the historical, literary, cultural and philological elements required to understand the prescribed texts. They must also know the essential features of the Roman construction of figures perceived as “bad” and the main linguistic, literary and philological issues raised by Sophocles’ Ajax. At an advanced level, students must possess thorough and systematically connected knowledge and be able to distinguish genres, forms, contexts, cultural categories and interpretative problems.

Applying knowledge and understanding. At the minimum passing level, students must be able to translate Greek and Latin texts with overall accuracy, identify their main linguistic structures and place them in their historical and literary contexts. They must also be able to read the essential elements of a critical apparatus and present a possible teaching application of the content studied. At an advanced level, they must translate and analyse texts accurately and independently, combine linguistic, literary, historical and philological evidence, apply their knowledge to texts or problems not previously discussed, and propose well-founded teaching solutions.

Making judgements. At the minimum passing level, students must formulate relevant observations on the texts and identify the main interpretative issues. At an advanced level, they must compare different interpretations, assess their grounds and limitations, and develop an independent and well-argued judgement, including on the relationship between literary representation, cultural values, gender, power and identity.

Communication skills. At the minimum passing level, students must present their knowledge clearly and systematically, use disciplinary terminology correctly, and explain their main translation and interpretative choices. At an advanced level, they must discuss texts and problems accurately, effectively and independently, adapting their presentation to a possible teaching context.

Learning skills. At the minimum passing level, students must be able to use texts, editions, bibliography and materials available on DIR to organise their study and identify the essential topics. At an advanced level, they must independently connect primary sources and scholarship, identify complex problems, investigate them with appropriate tools and critically rework the knowledge acquired.