Classical Mythology

The course is divided into two parts:
· The first part will be devoted to the various methodological approaches to ancient myth and to the presentation of research tools, including reference works, sources, and source typologies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the study of individual case studies in which the interaction between written and visual sources appears especially promising for the development of a method of inquiry. The discussion of these case studies will provide an opportunity for dynamic interaction with the class and for the creation of shared research paths.
· The second part will be devoted to Troy and the Trojan myths. Ilium represents one of the most powerful sites of cultural memory in the Western tradition and a privileged laboratory for observing processes involved in the construction of identity and of the collective imagination.
The course explores this complex legacy through an interdisciplinary approach that brings together historical and archaeological sources, literary texts, and iconographic evidence. Through a selection of case studies, the course will analyse both the transformations of the Trojan narrative within the literary tradition and the forms of dialogue, convergence, and cross-fertilisation between word and image in the construction of the imaginary world of Troy. The course will thus provide students with the tools to understand how the Trojan myth has been continuously reinterpreted, becoming one of the most enduring and influential cultural paradigms of Western civilisation.
This section of the course also involves, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the courses in Latin Literature — MA, Professor Chiara Torre — and Ancient Numismatics — MA, Professor Alessandro Cavagna — as part of a multi-year project in innovative teaching, aimed at fostering the cross-fertilisation of knowledge and hermeneutic resources.