I joined the University of Bologna in September 2014 as an associate professor. My teaching and research activities are carried out in the field of Roman History. My interests focus in particular on the social history of the Roman world, on new digital tools for teaching and research in Ancient History and, more recently, on the comparison between the Roman Empire and the Ancient Chinese Empire.
Education
I graduated in History (Ancient History) at the University of Bologna, discussing a thesis in Roman History on the topic “The Graccan project of African colonization”, on 18 November 1986. After being admitted to the PhD course in Ancient History (4th cycle) at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, I was awarded the title of PhD on 24 June 1992, presenting a final dissertation on the theme “The Roman province of Africa and its administrators in the Republican age”.
Academic career
In the academic year 1992/93 I won a post-doctoral scholarship at the University of Bologna, relating to the research programme “Aspects of the circulation of Egyptians and Alexandrians in the Roman Empire: investigation into personal and social statuses”.
In the following years I had several contractual assignments, for teaching and research activities, at the University of Bologna, the University of Udine, and especially at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
In 2001 I was successful in a competition for associate professor in the field of Roman History announced by the University of Catania. Following this suitability, in December 2004 I took up my post as Associate Professor of Roman History at the Faculty of Humanities (now Department of Humanistic Studies) at the University of Calabria where, after being confirmed in tenure in September 2008, I remained until August 2014.
As of 1 September 2014, after winning a call for applications announced by the University of Bologna, I took up my post at the Department of History and Cultures, again as Associate Professor of Roman History.
Teaching Activities
I am currently in charge of the teachings of Roman History (for bachelor degree course in History), Rome and the Universal, Social History of the Ancient World and History of the Roman Empire (for the master's degree course).
In past years, at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia I have been in charge of teaching the subjects of Roman History and Historical Communication Laboratory for both bachelor degree course and the specialist/master's degree course.
At the University of Calabria I have been in charge of the teaching of Economic and Social History of the Ancient World (both for bachelor and for specialist/master's degree courses), Roman Antiquities and Institutions (bachelor degree courses), Latin Epigraphy (bachelor and master's degree courses), Roman and Italic Antiquities (bachelor degree courses), History of Magna Graecia (bachelor degree courses).
At the University of Bologna in the past I have also taught Roman Administrative History (Master's degree courses) and History of Ancient Economics (bachelor degree courses).
From the academic year 2014-2015 to the present, I have been supervisor at the University of Bologna for about 140 theses at the bachelor degree level and about 80 theses at the master's level.
Since 1 September 2024 I have been coordinating, with Alice Bencivenni, the teaching project Joint Laboratory in Digital Epigraphy / Joint Laboratory in Digital Epigraphy, in collaboration with Brown University.
PhD experience
From A.Y. 2018-2019 to A.Y. 2019-2020, I was a member of the PhD College in History and Archaeology. Studies on Heritage, Memory and Cultures at the University of Bologna.
From a.y. 2020-2021 to a.y. 2021-2022 I was a member of the college of the PhD in Global Histories, Cultures, and Politics at the University of Bologna.
From the a.y. 2015-2016 to the conclusion I followed, as tutor, the doctoral dissertation of Dr Laura Parisini, Lavoro e identità sociale nella documentazione epigrafica della gente di mestiere di Roma (I secolo a.C. – III secolo d.C.) (Work and social identity in the epigraphic documentation of the trade people of Rome (1st century BC - 3rd century AD)) at the PhD in History Cultures Civilisations of the University of Bologna.
From the a.y. 2016-2017 to the conclusion I followed, as tutor, the doctoral dissertation of Dr. Simone Ciambelli, Il fenomeno del patronato sulle associazioni professionali nell'occidente romano tra I e III sec. d.C. (The phenomenon of patronage over professional associations in the Roman West between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD) at the PhD in History Cultures Civilisations of the University of Bologna.
From A.Y. 2018-2019 to A.Y. 2021-2022 I tutored the doctoral dissertation of Dr. Francesco Muraca, Lo iuridicato d'Alessandria e d'Egitto nel sistema istituzionale dell'Alto Impero romano (The iuridicate of Alexandria and Egypt in the institutional system of the High Roman Empire), at the PhD in History and Archaeology. Studies on Heritage, Memory and Cultures at the University of Bologna.
From a.y. 2019-2020 to a.y. 2021-2022 she supervised, as tutor, the doctoral dissertation of Dr Cecilia Mambrioni, L'espressione orale nelle lettere private dall'Egitto greco-romano (Oral expression in private letters from Greco-Roman Egypt), at the PhD History and Archaeology. Studies on Heritage, Memory and Cultures at the University of Bologna.
From a.y. 2019-2020 to a.y. 2021-2022, he tutored Dr. Alessandro Magnani's doctoral dissertation, La regalità ibrida dell'Impero Kushana (The hybrid kingship of the Kushana Empire), at the PhD in History and Archaeology. Studies on Heritage, Memory and Cultures at the University of Bologna.
From the academic year 2021-2022 to the present, he has been tutoring Dr Fabrizio Lusani's doctoral dissertation, Gli ostraka di Maximianon. Scrivere in un forte romano del deserto Orientale egiziano nel II secolo d.C. (The Ostraka of Maximianon. Writing in a Roman fort in the Egyptian Eastern Desert in the 2nd century AD), at the PhD in Historical Sciences of the University of the Republic of San Marino.
Scientific activity
I have participated in numerous national and international research programmes, among which I recall the CNR research programme “Prosopography of the Egyptians and Alexandrians in the Roman Empire”, an international research programme “Society and Administration in the Hellenistic and Roman World” sponsored by the NFWO (National Research Council of Belgium - Flemish area), in which the universities of Leuven, Antwerp, Brussels, Bologna, Göttingen, Köln, Leiden, London, Thessaloniki and Trier participated; Furthermore, from 2005 to 2014 I coordinated at the University of Calabria the local research project ex MURST 60% on Digital tools for teaching and research in Ancient History, between practical applications and methodological reflections.
I have taken part in numerous national and international conferences; among the most recent participations I recall those at the conference “Storici e storia da Costantino a Teodosio”, held in Bologna and Bertinoro on 25-26 September 2017, where I presented a paper on “The work activities related to the public sphere in the Matheseos libri octo of Firmicus Maternus”; the participation in (and organisation, together with Simone Ciambelli) of the international conference “La leadership delle associazioni professionali. Vicino Oriente Antico, Mondo Antico. Età Medievale e Prima Età Moderna ”, held in Bologna on 10-11 May 2018, where I presented a paper on “Ancharia Luperca, dignissima patrona and the nature of female leadership in professional associations in the Roman world”, at the conference “Le attività produttive dell’Umbria adriatica attraverso l’epigrafia monumentale”, held in Bologna on 23-25 May 2019, where I presented a paper on the theme “Production activities in Adriatic Umbria through monumental epigraphy”, at the international conference “Percorsi interdisciplinari della ricerca storico-religiosa sul mondo antico: temi, concetti e prospettive”, held in Bologna on 18-19 May 2021, where I presented a paper on “The religious dimension of professional people in the ancient world”, at the conference “L'iscrizione come strumento di integrazione culturale nella società romana” held in Bertinoro on 28-30 October 2021, where I presented a paper on the topic “Acculturation phenomena in the epigraphic documentation of the Middle Adriatic area in the Republican age”; I organised, with Matteo Proto and Mattia Vitelli Casella, the seminar “Il confine orientale d'Italia dall'epoca romana al Trattato di Osimo, tra realtà e ideologia”, held in Bologna on 5 November 2021; I also took part in the Workshop “Intorno all’Adriatico. Archeologia dei contesti e cultura materiale nelle fasi della conquista romana”, organised in Lecce on 15-16 February 2024 by the International Centre for Studies on the History and Archaeology of the Adriatic, where I presented, with Giovanni Assorati and Daniela Rigato a paper on the subject “The first evidence of epigraphic culture between Romagna and northern Marche)” and IX International Study Conference “I viaggi sono i viaggiatori - Circolazione di beni, di persone, di idee”, held in Paestum 17-19 October 2024, where I presented a paper on “Workers on the move. Professional motivations in the mobility of people in the Roman world”.
I have also been referee of national and international journals in the scientific field of Roman History.
Institutional activities and academic appointments
From 2104 to 2019, I was a member of the Quality Assurance Committee of the History degree course. For the same degree course I am also the contact person for the ancient pathway.
From May 2018 until May 2021 I was chairman of the Teaching Commission of the Department of History Cultures Civilisations and I was a member of the Council of the same department.
From June 2019 until June 2022, I was President of the Joint Commission of the School of Humanities and Cultural Heritage of the University of Bologna.
From June 2022 until July 2013, I was a member of the University of Bologna's Quality Presidium - Research.
Membership in scientific and editorial committees
Since 2002, I have collaborated with the “Centro Italiano per l'Année Philologique” in the editing of the files for the Année Philologique: Bibliographie critique et analytique de l'Antiquité gréco-latine. I am a member of the Italian Society of Labour History. I am also a member of the Scientific Committee of the journal ‘Aiônos - Miscellanea di Studi Storici’ and of the series ‘Oikos - Percorsi di Storia Antica’.
Other activities
In the past I was curator of the website of the ‘Niccolò Canussio’ Foundation of Cividale del Friuli (http://www.fondazionecanussio.org).
From 1995 to 2007 I was editor of the Rassegna degli strumenti informatici per lo studio dell'antichità classica still available at http://www.rassegna.unibo.it/index.html, which since November 2004 has formed the History of the Classical World section of the World Wide Web Virtual Library History Network edited by Serge Noiret and Inaki Lopez Martin at the European University Institute in Florence.
Since February 2020 I have been a member of the board of the Italian Society of Labour History.
