Lebenslauf

Born in Pordenone (PN), Italy, 2nd of November 1982

 

Current position:

PhD Student in Science of Antiquity at the Unviersity of Udine (Italy)-second year (2011-2013)

 

Education:

2007 – Università degli Studi di Udine

M.A. Degree in Ancient History (110/110 cum Laude).  Dissertation on Roman History. Thesis title: “Problems about Palmyra’s history in the 3rd century A.D.: career and political action of Septimius Odainat”

Supervisor: Prof. Arnaldo Marcone

2007 – Università degli Studi di Udine

Bachelor Degree in Humanities (107/110).  Dissertation on Roman History. Thesis title: “The caravan routes in Syria during the Roman Empire”

Supervisor: Prof. Arnaldo Marcone

Further educational activities:

Oct 2005- Jan 2006, Alpen-Adria Universität – Klagenfurt - Austria

Full-time international student thanks to an exchange program scholarship (ERASMUS)

 

Internships:

July 2010- until now, Neues Musem - Berlin - Germany

Unpaid internship (8 hours per week). Work on the papyri collection (database, scan and many other duties). Supervisor: Curator Dr. Fabian Reiter

Jan – Mar 2010, The J. Paul Getty Museum- Los Angeles-California- USA

Antiquities Curatorial and Educational Department Volunteer at the Villa Getty

Apr – Nov 2008, R.D. Milns Antiquities Museum- University of Queensland- Australia

Supervisor: Dr. Sonia Puttock, museum curator and lecturer in Classics and Ancient History

 

Conferences/workshops:

26th–28th May 2011, International conference: Land and natural resources in the Roman World, Brussels, Belgium.

1st-2nd December 2011, Workshop: Archaeology and history of Palmyrene Trade, Norwegian Institute, Athens, Greece.

 

Papers:

2nd December 2011, An example of land exploitation: the Palmyra salt, during the workshop: Archaeology and history of Palmyrene Trade, Norwegian Institute, Athens, Greece.

 

Panels organized:

8 October 2011: Richard Burton, l’ esploratore e l’archeologo, during the conference Storie di archeologia e archeologi nelle regioni dell’Alpe Adria tra la metà dell’Ottocento e quella del Novecento, Abbazia di Rosazzo, Udine, Italy.

 

Archaeological Excavations and surveys

11-22 April 2011, Department of Ancient History-Macquire University, Sydney

Archeological survey at the roman site of Aquileia within the International project: Beyond the city walls: The landscape of Aquileia.

Project supervisor: Dr. Arianna Traviglia

July 2005 (paid)

July 2004

July 2003, Department of History and Preservation of Cultural Heritage of the University of Udine

Archeological campaign at the roman site of Aquileia (UD), Italy

Supervisor: Dr. Marina Rubinich

 

Referee

Dott. Stefano Magnani (Roman history), University of Udine

Prof. Daniele Morandi Bonacossi (Ancient Near Archeology), University of Udine

Beschreibung des Forschungsvorhabens/ Description of the project

Organization and management of the south-west Palmyrene territory during the Roman Period.

My research aims to illustrate the economic and politic organization of south-west Palmyra during the Roman Period, through an analysis of the territory, its occupation and exploitation, in comparison to the wider Palmyrene territory and the Near East. From the work of Schlumberger on the north-west of Palmyra (1951) studies have always focused on the Palmyrene city itself, or specific topics such as trade, religion and conflict. As an alternative, I believe it is important to take the southwestern Palmyrene region as a research model, considering it in its entirety and using a different methodology to understand the interaction between the city and its hinterland and between the hinterland and the region during the Roman period. Therefore I plan to organize my work in two parts: the first, formed by chapters 1-3, in which I present the study topic, the state of current research and the research methodology, and a second one formed by chapters 4 and 5 in which I present, through a revision and interpretation of historical and archaeology data, a study of the complex interactions between Palmyrene territories and the Roman near east. 

CHAPTER 1

• Definition of the limits of my interested area.

• Description of the geography and geomorphology of the territory with an interest on the paleo-environmental changes.

CHAPTER 2

Methodological chapter on the sources used for my research:

2.1 Literary sources:

• Ancients. Apart for Latin and Greek authors (very few of them apart from Strabo and Pliny the Elder) I also intend to review the Arabic sources in order to explore new and useful data.

• Moderns:

- The reports of 17th–19th century travellers;

- The first systematic archaeological explorations of the 20th century (I refer mostly to Musil and Schlumberger. I intend to discuss Poidebard’s work in more detail  in a section on aerial photography).

2.2 Epigraphical sources

General introduction to the Palmyrene inscriptions preserved in different corpora or in specialist journals. In the coming years is also expected the publication, by the Institute Français du Proche-Orient, of the XVII volume of the Corpus des inscriptions et grecques latines de la Syrie (IGLS), edited by JB Yon on Palmyra and its territory. I intend to make contact with the French team working on this project at the next international workshop in Athens (1st and 2nd December 2011).

2.3 Figurative sources

Both religious and funerary sculpture (A. Sardurska et A. Bounni 1994, Le sculptures funéraires de Palmyre, Roma, 1994) and vast collections of tesserae (H. Ingholt, H. Seyrig et J. Starky 1955, Recueil des tesséres de Palmyre, Paris, 1955) as well as the buildings themselves (religious and civic) offer a variety of useful images linked to the Palmyrene territory. On this issue I am working on studying the investigations that have directly affected the region bringing to light monuments that often turn out to be interesting as reference point in spatial organization and in connection amongst them.

2.4 Archeologica data

An history of the various twentieth century archeological excavations and contemporary surveys whose data will be used in chapters 3, 4 and 5. A particular focus will be on the mission of Prof. Morandi and Prof. Cremaschi, since it is closely related to my research topic.

2.5 Aerial Photography and satellite images

The use of aerial photographs (one part will be dedicated to the importance and innovation of the work carried out between the two wars by Antoine Poidebard) and satellite images (CORONA for example) as sources for a territorial study is a relatively new approach, especially regarding a historical work. It is therefore very useful because it opens new possibilities considering the serious political troubles currently happening in Syria which do not allow researchers to continue with their fieldwork (both excavations and surveys). CORONA satellite images, downgraded by the U.S. government in the late nineteenth century, have been used for some time in archaeological field research, mainly in the area of the upper Khabur. A thorough analysis of these images, accompanied by the use of GPS and GIS techniques, can build a complete picture of landscape features and be a good tool for following historical and economic considerations.

The collected data would be an integral part of chapter 4.

CHAPTER 3

Catalogue of the various Roman/Palmyrene sites in the south-west accompanied by a complete bibliography and commentary.

CHAPTER 4

Land organization and exploitation

This chapter and the next are intended to provide a historical overview of the region for the Roman period.

In light of the various data collected (Chapter 2-3) I intend here to develop a whole series of considerations on the organization and management of the territory:

• The road system and connections between the various settlements

• Exploitation of agriculture. In addition to the data obtained through archaeological evidence will be carried out a detailed study on the bilingual inscription known as Fiscal Tariff of Palmyra, which at present is the main source on the subject. Particularly useful in this regard was the conference I attended in Brussels in May of 2011 (International Conference: Land and Natural Resources in the Roman World, Brussels, 2011, Mon. 26th - Sat. 28th May 2011).

CHAPTER 5

Inter-connectivity

In this chapter I intend to develop considerations concerning the concept of connectivity: the possible internal and external networks of exchange, the flow of communications, goods,  contacts and relationships with the areas of the Near and Far East.