ID:
510085
Duration (hours):
36
CFU:
6
SSD:
LETTERATURA CRISTIANA ANTICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 19/12/2025)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
By reading texts (in ancient Greek or Latin or in Italian translation), the course aims to guide students to the knowledge of historical-literary, linguistic, philological and cultural issues of the ancient Christian world.
At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
1) know and explain with correct use of technical terminology the specific characteristics of Christian production of the first centuries;
2) know the fundamental information on the main works and authors and on the main themes of Christian literary production starting from the New Testament up to the fifth century, with particular attention to literary aspects;
3) deal with the reading in the original language and the commentary on the texts read in class, contextualizing them appropriately, and use these texts to exemplify the formal and content characteristics of ancient Christian production.
At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
1) know and explain with correct use of technical terminology the specific characteristics of Christian production of the first centuries;
2) know the fundamental information on the main works and authors and on the main themes of Christian literary production starting from the New Testament up to the fifth century, with particular attention to literary aspects;
3) deal with the reading in the original language and the commentary on the texts read in class, contextualizing them appropriately, and use these texts to exemplify the formal and content characteristics of ancient Christian production.
Course Prerequisites
Knowledge of Greek and Latin languages
Teaching Methods
Lectures with reading, translation and commentary of texts.
Assessment Methods
Oral exam for the assessment of historical-literary knowledge (authors, works, genres presented in the manuals), of the issues and texts read during the lessons. The knowledge of the contents of the discipline, the critical capacity and logical organization of the discourse and the expository correctness will be evaluated.
Texts
- I. Lana, E.V. Maltese, Storia della civiltà letteraria greca e latina, Torino 1998: parte VIII La letteratura latina dei primi secoli, capitolo I I testi delle origini (a c. di D. Devoti, E. Gallicet e C. Mazzucco), paragrafi 1-2-3 (pp. 221-259);
- A. Piras, Storia della letteratura patristica, 3. Ed., Cagliari 2020: capp. 1. [Introduzione alla letteratura patristica, pp. 9-16]; 2. [La letteratura subapostolica, pp.17-30]; 3. [Scritti morali, disciplinari, liturgici e agiografici per le prime comunità cristiane, pp. 41-51]; 4. [Gli apologisti del II secolo, pp. 57-73]; 5. [Lo gnosticismo e i suoi avversari, pp. 83-92]; 6. [Il III secolo: l’Oriente, pp. 97-120]; 7. [paragrafi 7.1.1. Ippolito, pp. 129-136; 7.2.2. Tertulliano, pp. 144-165]; 8. [Il IV secolo: l’Oriente, pp. 183-240]; 10. [paragrafo 10.1. Cirillo di Alessandria, pp.293-298];
- F. Gasti, La letteratura tardolatina. Un profilo storico (secoli III-VII d.C.), Roma 2020: capp. 1. [Romani e barbari, pagani e cristiani, pp. 17-34]; 2. [paragrafi 2.3. Commodiano, pp. 40-42; 2.5. Gli apologisti latini, pp. 46-51; 2.6. Lattanzio, pp. 51-56]; 3. [paragrafi 3.1. Cristianesimo e tradizione poetica, pp. 57-60]; 3.5. Prudenzio, pp. 74-78; 3.6. Paolino di Nola, pp. 78-83]; 5. [Dottrina ed esegesi in ambito cristiano, pp. 109-130]; 6. [Agostino, pp. 131-155]; 9. [La letteratura cristiana nel V secolo, pp. 189-208].
- A. Piras, Storia della letteratura patristica, 3. Ed., Cagliari 2020: capp. 1. [Introduzione alla letteratura patristica, pp. 9-16]; 2. [La letteratura subapostolica, pp.17-30]; 3. [Scritti morali, disciplinari, liturgici e agiografici per le prime comunità cristiane, pp. 41-51]; 4. [Gli apologisti del II secolo, pp. 57-73]; 5. [Lo gnosticismo e i suoi avversari, pp. 83-92]; 6. [Il III secolo: l’Oriente, pp. 97-120]; 7. [paragrafi 7.1.1. Ippolito, pp. 129-136; 7.2.2. Tertulliano, pp. 144-165]; 8. [Il IV secolo: l’Oriente, pp. 183-240]; 10. [paragrafo 10.1. Cirillo di Alessandria, pp.293-298];
- F. Gasti, La letteratura tardolatina. Un profilo storico (secoli III-VII d.C.), Roma 2020: capp. 1. [Romani e barbari, pagani e cristiani, pp. 17-34]; 2. [paragrafi 2.3. Commodiano, pp. 40-42; 2.5. Gli apologisti latini, pp. 46-51; 2.6. Lattanzio, pp. 51-56]; 3. [paragrafi 3.1. Cristianesimo e tradizione poetica, pp. 57-60]; 3.5. Prudenzio, pp. 74-78; 3.6. Paolino di Nola, pp. 78-83]; 5. [Dottrina ed esegesi in ambito cristiano, pp. 109-130]; 6. [Agostino, pp. 131-155]; 9. [La letteratura cristiana nel V secolo, pp. 189-208].
Contents
Tracing the origin and development of Christian literature, with particular attention to the most significant authors and literary genres, through selected readings of texts in the original language or in Italian translation, the course aims to grasp the elements of continuity and discontinuity with the classical culture. The course will be divided into two parts: 1)- introduction to ancient Christian literature: methods and problems; - historical profile of ancient Greek and Latin Christian literature in I-V centuries: authors, works, literary genres and contents; 2) Frontal lessons: Ancient Christian Epistolography
Course Language
Italian
More information
Lessons are held in Almo Collegio Borromeo
Degrees
Degrees
CLASSICAL AND ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES
Master’s Degree
2 years
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