SEMITIC EPIGRAPHY

This course is part of the Master's degree program in Antiquity Sciences: archeology, literature, history (for both the Western Asia and Eastern Mediterranean curriculum, and the historical specialization within the Philology, Literature, and History of Antiquity curriculum). However, it is open to all interested students who can include it as an elective in their study plan.
The course helps students develop skills essential for scientific research training in the field of epigraphic, philological, and linguistic analysis of the ancient world. It focuses particularly on Semitic languages attested epigraphically in the Near Eastern region. It refines students' knowledge of sources and promotes their ability to read, translate, contextualize, and critically and consciously utilize them directly from the original (thereby enhancing their problem-solving skills).
Furthermore, the course aids in acquiring a deep theoretical mastery (philological and linguistico-literary analysis) in handling these texts, and the ability to appropriately apply methodological and operational tools for their study and contextualization. This includes text analysis and rendering, and the use of tools and methods (including electronic ones) for bibliographical research and relevant databases. Students learn to use these tools through exercises in developing and drafting editions and commentaries of texts during lessons.

The student by the end of the course will have acquired the necessary skills:
- to use appropriate tools and methodologies for the linguistic, philological, historical and literary analysis in the discipline;
- to conduct independently a bibliographic research in the field and will know how to take advantage of the electronic resources for the discipline available to date;
- to produce an independent edition of a text.

No prerequisites required to access this course.
Previous knowledge of another Semitic language may be helpful though not a prerequisite

Title: "Introduction to the Phoenician language"
1) Language and writing
2) Studies and history
3) Introduction to the grammar: elements of phonology, morhology and syntax.
4) Reading of selected texts

Literature for the exam:
1a) M.G. Amadasi Guzzo e R. De Simone, La lingua dei Fenici, Milano 2024
or:
1b) Ch.R. Krahmalkov, A Phoenician-Punic Grammar, Leiden-Boston-Köln 2001 (to be integrated with the Selection of texts examined in the Handbook quoted under a)
2) M.G. Amadasi Guzzo, Alfa Beta. Formazione e affermazione di un mezzo di comunicazione di successo, Bologna 2024
3) Lettura e analisi epigrafica, grammaticale e filologica di una selezione di testi (i cui dettagli saranno comunicati nel corso delle lezioni)
4) Approfondimento individuale su un testo da concordare con la docente.

Reading and epigraphic, grammatical, and philological analysis of selected texts (details will be provided during lessons and published in Moodle).
Individual in-depth study of a text to be agreed upon with the instructor.
Students who do not have prior knowledge of the historical-cultural context in which the Phoenician language developed may read the following texts to supplement their personal background:

---- C. Bonnet, E. Guillon, and F. Porzia, "La civiltà dei Fenici. Un percorso mediterraneo nel I millennio a.C," Rome 2020.
---- S.F. Bondì et al., "Fenici e Cartaginesi. Una civiltà mediterranea," Rome 2009.
Specific sources, dictionaries, tools, and further bibliography will be indicated during the course.

Learning is assessed through an individual oral examination. During this exam, students must demonstrate their ability to:
Read, comprehend, translate into Italian, contextualize, and comment epigraphically, grammatically, and linguistically on a couple of passages selected by the instructor from those covered during the course.
Read, comprehend, translate into Italian, contextualize, and comment epigraphically, grammatically, and linguistically on the text chosen for their individual in-depth study.
Discuss the bibliography with the instructor, showing independent judgment and precise language.
Utilize the bibliography as an aid in interpreting texts and evaluating them epigraphically, grammatically, and linguistically.

oral

28-30L: excellent command of the topics; excellent ability to prioritize information; appropriate use of the technical terminology of the subject
26-27: good knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the textbooks; good ability to organize and present information; generally correct use of the technical terminology of the subject
24-25: fair knowledge of the topics; fair ability to organize information; not always correct use of the technical terminology of the subject
22-23: superficial and/or incomplete knowledge of the topics; presentation not always clear and/or lacking in the technical terminology of the subject
18-21: incomplete knowledge of the topics, but still sufficient; unclear presentation and/or lacking and/or with little use of the technical terminology of the subject

In class; classes will take the form of seminars. Students will be regularly required to prepare texts and sources for the forthcoming classes.