HISTORY OF CHILDREN IN THE ROMAN WORLD

Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: Mela ALBANA

Expected Learning Outcomes

The expected learning objectives, according to the Dublin descriptors, are the following:

Knowledge and understanding (DD1)
- to know historical theories and models to interpret educational and training events;
- to know the theories useful to understand relational dynamics (in particular, the parent-child relationship) in Roman times and their evolution until today.
 
Knowledge and applied understanding (DD2)
- to know and be able to analyze the sources (literary, legal, epigraphic and archaeological) concerning childhood in the Roman world;
- to connect the theoretical and methodological contents learned to the interpretation of past, present and future events and processes;
- to know how to use the methodology of historical research aimed at achieving the educational objectives.
 
Autonomy of judgment (DD3)
- to evaluate the relevance of the theories studied with respect to the situations faced and the actions managed and / or observed;
- starting from the observation of past case studies, knowing how to advance, formulate and argue proposals for change and transformation in today's educational context.
 
Communication skills (DD4)
- Knowing how to communicate the meaning of one's actions;
- knowing how to justify the objectives, procedures, methodologies in oral and written form.
 
Learning ability (DD5)
- Knowing how to identify unexpected results of research and its possible developments in terms of methodology and impact.

Course Structure

Frontal and interactive lessons

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements.



Required Prerequisites

It is important that the student has a good knowledge of space-time coordinates and, in particular, of the correspondence between years and centuries.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is particularly recommended: active participation in lessons and other educational activities provided will greatly facilitate the understanding of the topics under study and will offer profitable opportunities for discussion with the teacher on the issues that each student will deem most appropriate to his or her specific interests.

Detailed Course Content

  • The sources on childhood in the Roman world;
  • pregnancy and abortion;
  • birth and early moments of life;
  • born "different": disability in the Roman world;
  • the abandonment of children;
  • the feeding;
  • the premature death;
  • the games;
  • family education;
  • the elementary school;
  • the grammar and literature school;
  • education in Augustus’ time;
  • the child and the city;
  • legal inability of the child;
  • the Augustan law on children;
  • children in Christian thought.

Textbook Information

  1. J.-P. Néraudau, Il bambino nella cultura romana, in Storia dell’infanzia, I, Dall’Antichità al Seicento, a cura di E. Becchi e D. Julia, Laterza, Roma Bari 1996, pp. 30-60.
  2. C. Laes, Disabilities and the disabled in the Roman world. A social and cultural history, Cambridge 2018, pp. 23-36 e 133-148.
  3. F. Sartori, Nascite umane mostruose nel Prodigiorum liber di Giulio Ossequente, «Atti della Società Italiana di Ginecologia e Ostetricia», LXLX, 1993, pp. 17-33.
  4. G. Pedrucci, Maternità e allattamenti nel mondo greco e romano. Un percorso fra scienza delle religioni e studi sulla maternità, Roma 2018, pp. 92-110 e 234-249.
  5. F. Elia, L’alienatio liberorum in età imperiale: problemi sociali e interventi normativi, «QC», IV-V, 1992-93, pp. 361-402.
  6. C. Soraci, Iulia Florentina e il culto dei martiri catanesi, in Paesaggi del sacro tra memoria, storia e tradizione: attività di educazione permanente, a cura di B. Caruso e M.T. Di Blasi, Assessorato dei beni culturali e dell’identità siciliana - Dipartimento dei beni culturali e dell’identità siciliana, Palermo 2018, 23-30.
  7. V. Caminneci, A proposito di un amuleto dall’Emporion agrigentino: l’evidenza archeologica della morte del lattante nell’antica Agrigento, in La presenza dei bambini nelle religioni del Mediterraneo antico. La vita e la morte, i rituali e i culti tra archeologia, antropologia e storia delle religioni, a cura di C. Terranova, Roma 2014, pp. 217-255.
  8. E. Salza Prina Ricotti, Giochi e giocattoli, Roma 1995, pp. 7-72.
  9. H.M. Marrou, Storia dell’educazione nell’antichitàRoma 1994, pp. 307-384.
  10. M. Albana, Educazione e formazione nella domus Augusta, «Annali della facoltà di Scienze della formazione dell’Università degli studi di Catania», 14, 2015, pp. 31-65 http://ojs.unict.it/ojs/index.php/annali-sdf/article/view/.
  11. P. Porena, Il lavoro infantile, in A. Marcone (a cura di), Storia del lavoro in Italia. L’età romana. Liberi, semiliberi e schiavi in una società premoderna, Roma 2016, pp. 663-685.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1The breastfeeding4.Pedrucci
2The alienatio liberorum5.Elia
3disabled children2.Laes; 3.Sartori
4Premature death6.Soraci ; 7.Caminneci
5Games8.Salza Prina Ricotti, pp. 13-50 e 63-72
6Girl's games8.Salza Prina Ricotti, pp. 51-62
7Education and school9. Marrou
8Education and training in the domus Augusta10 Albana
9Bulla, toga praetexta, and partecipation on the city life1 Néraudeau pp. 34-39
10the power of the pater familiasNéraudau pp. 39-41
11Children's work11.Porena pp.663-685

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

On a date agreed with the students, an in itinere test will be carried out in the classroom or online, consisting of thirty closed-ended questions on the contents of the program; each correct answer will be awarded a point. The time allowed for the test will be 30 minutes, at the end of which the results obtained by each student will be announced. The evaluation of the in itinere test will contribute to the formulation of the final grade.

The final oral exam will consist of questions that were not the subject of the ongoing exam. In this case the evaluation will take into account:

- the relevance of the answers provided

- the wealth of the contents

- the ability to connect with other topics in program

- the ability of express oneself

- lexical correctness.

Verification of knowledge can also be carried out electronically, should the conditions require it.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

  • Pregnancy and abortion;
  • birth and early moments of life;
  • the abandonment of children;
  • the feeding;
  • the premature death;
  • the games;
  • family education;
  • the elementary school;
  • the grammar and literature school;
  • education in Augustus’ time;
  • the child and the city;
  • legal inability of the child;
  • the Augustan law on children;
  • children in Christian thought.