Ateneo - UPO

Foundations of Late Antique Archaeology

Attending students:ARCHEOLOGIA TARDOANTICA. 1) Appunti del corso e relative cartelle di immagini (su DIR); 2) V. FIOCCHI NICOLAI, Le catacombe cristiane: origini e sviluppo, in Aurea Roma. Dalla città pagana alla città cristiana, Catalogo della mostra (Roma 22 dicembre 2000-20 aprile 2001), a cura di E. Ensoli e E. La Rocca, Roma 2000, pp. 301-308. 3) V. FIOCCHI NICOLAI, M. SANNAZARO, Santuari rurali: caratteri e funzioni, in Martiri, santi, patroni: per una archeologia della devozione, Atti X Congresso Nazionale di Archeologia Cristiana, a cura di A. Coscarella, P. De Santis, Arcavacata di Rende 2012, pp. 199-229 https://www.academia.edu/30612305/Santuari_rurali_caratteri_e_funzioni_in_Martiri_santi_patroni_per_una_archeologia_della_devozione._Atti_X_Congresso_Nazionale_di_Archeologia_Cristiana_Universit%C3%A0_della_Calabria_15-18_settembre_2012_Cosenza_2012_pp._199-229_in_collaborazione_con_M._Sannazaro_ 4) Yuri A. Marano, “Gli ambienti absidati nell'architettura residenziale dell'Italia settentrionale tardoantica”, in “L'alimentazione nell'Antichità”, Antichità altoadriatiche, LXXXIV, 2016, pp. 111-130 https://www.academia.edu/25797756/Yuri_A_Marano_Gli_ambienti_absidati_nellarchitettura_residenziale_dellItalia_settentrionale_tardoantica_in_Lalimentazione_nellAntichit%C3%A0_Antichit%C3%A0_altoadriatiche_LXXXIV_2016_pp_111_130Not attending students:ARCHEOLOGIA TARDOANTICA. 1) Appunti del corso e relative cartelle di immagini (su DIR); 2) V. FIOCCHI NICOLAI, Le catacombe cristiane: origini e sviluppo, in Aurea Roma. Dalla città pagana alla città cristiana, Catalogo della mostra (Roma 22 dicembre 2000-20 aprile 2001), a cura di E. Ensoli e E. La Rocca, Roma 2000, pp. 301-308. 3) V. FIOCCHI NICOLAI, M. SANNAZARO, Santuari rurali: caratteri e funzioni, in Martiri, santi, patroni: per una archeologia della devozione, Atti X Congresso Nazionale di Archeologia Cristiana, a cura di A. Coscarella, P. De Santis, Arcavacata di Rende 2012, pp. 199-229 https://www.academia.edu/30612305/Santuari_rurali_caratteri_e_funzioni_in_Martiri_santi_patroni_per_una_archeologia_della_devozione._Atti_X_Congresso_Nazionale_di_Archeologia_Cristiana_Universit%C3%A0_della_Calabria_15-18_settembre_2012_Cosenza_2012_pp._199-229_in_collaborazione_con_M._Sannazaro_ 4) Yuri A. Marano, “Gli ambienti absidati nell'architettura residenziale dell'Italia settentrionale tardoantica”, in “L'alimentazione nell'Antichità”, Antichità altoadriatiche, LXXXIV, 2016, pp. 111-130 https://www.academia.edu/25797756/Yuri_A_Marano_Gli_ambienti_absidati_nellarchitettura_residenziale_dellItalia_settentrionale_tardoantica_in_Lalimentazione_nellAntichit%C3%A0_Antichit%C3%A0_altoadriatiche_LXXXIV_2016_pp_111_130; 5) F. MARAZZI, Città, territorio ed economia nella tarda antichità, in Storia d’Europa e del Mediterraneo, I. Il mondo tardoantico, dir. A. Barbero, sez. III, L’ecumene romana, a cura di G. Traina, vol. VII, L’impero tardoantico, Roma 2010, pp. 651-696. https://www.academia.edu/5981320/citt%C3%A0_territorio_ed_economia_nella_tarda_antichit%C3%A0 Students enrolled in the Master's Degree Program in Philology and Cultural Heritage who have already taken the Late Antique Archaeology examination as part of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Literature and have included the Late Antique Archaeology course in their current study plan are required to contact the instructor to agree on the examination syllabus.Further readings:Il riuso degli edifici termali tra tardoantico e medioevo. Nuove prospettive di analisi e di casi studio, a cura di P. de Vingo, Sesto Fiorentino, All'Insegna del Giglio, 2025.

In alignment with the Educational Objectives of the Degree Programme as outlined in the SUA-CdS, and with specific reference to the historical, geographical, and cultural heritage areas, this course aims to:
** Basic Level
OF1 (Knowledge and understanding) – Provide foundational knowledge regarding the history of Late Antique archaeology, the main methodological approaches of the discipline, and the processes of transformation within the Roman world between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD along with their causes, with particular emphasis on the organization of urban and rural settlements, civil, religious, and military architecture, and Christian archaeology.
OF2 (Applying knowledge and understanding) – Develop the ability to recognize and contextualize sites, monumental complexes, buildings, artifacts, and findings from Late Antiquity, correctly placing them within their spatial, chronological, and historical reference frameworks.
OF3 (Transversal skills) – Develop the ability to synthesize, with clarity of expression, the current state of knowledge regarding the topics covered throughout the course.

**Advanced Level
OF4 (Knowledge and understanding) – Provide in-depth knowledge of the topics covered, outlining the major historiographical issues in Late Antique archaeology, with detailed focus on current national and international academic debates.
OF5 (Applying knowledge and understanding) – Develop the ability to integrate the acquired archaeological knowledge into the broader historical and cultural framework of Late Antiquity.
OF6 (Transversal skills) – Develop the ability to critically interpret the acquired content, evaluating the contribution of material sources to the reconstruction of the transformations of the Roman world—also as a means to independently investigate specific topics—as well as to communicate content and personal reflections using appropriate scientific and scholarly language.

The 6 ECTS credits earned during the course are distributed as follows:
1.5 ECTS credits (36 contact hours) of direct teaching (didattica erogativa - DE), including interactive sessions with and among students (see "Teaching Methods");
4.5 ECTS credits of independent study.

For a full understanding of the course and to successfully pass the exam, a basic knowledge of Roman and Late Antique history is required. This should be based on prior learning from secondary education and standard textbook coverage, enabling a correct contextualization—first and foremost chronological—of the specific topics addressed throughout the course.

Teaching and learning activities are conducted through:
• lectures dedicated to illustrating theoretical content, research methodologies, and the main contexts of Late Antique archaeology;
• teacher-led analysis of images, sites, monumental complexes, buildings, artifacts, and findings, aimed at developing the ability to recognise, contextualise, and interpret material evidence;
• educational field trips to museums and archaeological sites, aimed at applying the acquired knowledge through the direct observation of archaeological contexts;
• teacher-led discussions on case studies and major historiographical trends, designed to develop skills in critical analysis, argumentation, and scholarly debate;
• independent study of the materials assigned by the teacher.
For attending students, lecture notes prepared by the teacher and the iconographic repertoire used during classes will be made available on the DIR platform (Virtual Learning Environment). These materials also serve as the primary learning support for non-attending students.
The exam bibliography supplements the teaching materials and allows for the in-depth study of specific topics in Late Antique archaeology, fostering the acquisition of independent study methods, engagement with scientific literature, and the use of specialised terminology. Furthermore, interactive discussions will take place during lectures, aimed at consolidating content comprehension, developing independent judgment, and enhancing presentation and communication skills.

This course is also offered within the Master's Degree Programme in Philology and Cultural Heritage. Students who have already taken this course during their Bachelor's Degree studies are required to contact the teacher.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents- physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam consists of an oral interview comprising at least three questions, which includes the identification and discussion of images related to sites, monumental complexes, buildings, and artifacts covered during the course. To prepare for the exam, students must refer to the teaching materials specified by the teacher in this Course Syllabus. Assessment is graded on a 30-point scale. The interview aims to verify the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, with particular reference to:
1. knowledge and understanding of the discipline's core content, through the analytical description of the sites covered, and the explanation of research methodologies and the main processes of transformation in the Late Antique world. Evaluation weight: up to 18 points
2. the ability to apply knowledge and understanding, through the identification, spatio-temporal contextualisation, and interpretation of sites, monumental complexes, buildings, and artifacts of the period under consideration. Evaluation weight: up to 6 points
3. transversal skills, through a discussion aimed at verifying the ability to compare different interpretative models (Making judgements), to present content coherently using subject-specific terminology (Communication skills), and to independently establish connections between contexts, material sources, and the exam bibliography (Learning skills). Evaluation weight: up to 6 points T
To achieve a passing grade (sufficienza), students must demonstrate a knowledge of the foundational content of the course, recognize and contextualise the main sites and artifacts of Late Antiquity, discuss the major issues addressed during the course, and present them correctly using the basic terminology of the discipline.
For an intermediate grade, students are required to show an adequate ability to apply their knowledge, critically discuss the primary historiographical interpretations, and establish connections between the topics covered.
For a high grade, students must demonstrate an in-depth and critically re-elaborated knowledge of the content, the ability to independently contextualise archaeological contexts within the broader historical and cultural framework, argue their evaluations based on archaeological evidence and scientific bibliography, and present the content with full mastery of specialised terminology.
Honors (laude) are awarded to students who, in addition to fully meeting all expected learning outcomes, demonstrate exceptional critical independence, skills in synthesis and linking themes, contexts, and material classes, as well as absolute mastery of the discipline's scientific language.

The course focuses on the core themes and methods of the discipline (transformation of cities and the countryside, settlement dynamics, architecture and construction techniques, urban planning issues, Christian topography, and elements of iconography) between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD.
• Learning Unit 1: History of the Discipline
• Learning Unit 2: The Arch of Constantine
• Learning Unit 3: Urban Planning
• Learning Unit 4: Public Architecture
• Learning Unit 5: Residential Architecture
• Learning Unit 6: Transformations of the Countryside
• Learning Unit 7: Christian Topography
• Learning Unit 8: Christian Architecture
• Learning Unit 9: Christian and Secular Iconography
"Integration of the Gender Dimension". Learning Unit 2 will feature a focus on Empress Helena as a woman of power, alongside an overview of the role of 'matronae' in Late Antiquity.

Upon completing the course, in alignment with the contents of the SUA-CdS, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes and will be able to:
** Basic Level
RAA.1 Knowledge and understanding – Demonstrate knowledge of the history of Late Antique archaeology, its main methodological approaches, and the transformation processes of the Roman world between the 3rd and 6th centuries, with particular reference to the transformation of the Roman city, the organisation of the countryside, public and private architecture, the development of Christian topography and places of worship, funerary landscapes, and material culture.
RAA.2 Applying knowledge and understanding – Recognise sites, monumental complexes, buildings, artefacts, and findings covered during the course, describing their main characteristics and correctly placing them within the spatial, chronological, and historical framework of Late Antiquity.
RAA.3 Transversal skills – Compare the main historical positions discussed in class (with particular reference to the concepts of transformation and continuity in the Roman world), present the acquired archaeological contexts in a clear and orderly manner using the foundational vocabulary of the discipline, and use course texts and materials to independently organise their own study.

** Advanced Level
RAA.4 Knowledge and understanding – Critically understand the transformation processes of the Roman world between the 3rd and 7th centuries and their underlying reasons, interpreting archaeological evidence related to the reuse and functional reassignment of urban spaces, changes in countryside organisation and production systems, the construction of the new religious geography driven by the rise of Christianity, and shifts in material culture, while evaluating their historical significance within the debate on Late Antiquity.
RAA.5 Applying knowledge and understanding – Contextualise sites, monumental complexes, buildings, artefacts, and archaeological contexts within the broader historical, political, economic, social, and religious framework of Late Antiquity, developing comparisons between different case studies and different regions of the Empire.
RAA.6 Transversal skills – Critically compare different interpretative models regarding the transformations of the Roman world, arguing their evaluations based on archaeological evidence; organise a coherent and well-structured presentation using the specialised vocabulary of the discipline with propriety; independently identify bibliographical tools useful for deepening specific topics and connecting contexts, materials, and historical phenomena.