Aims

The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the key developments of Greek academic writing, from Antiquity to the Renaissance, and to give the students a first training in reading manuscripts and studying the phenomenon of the copy.

Main themes

The aim of the course is to train the students as quickly as possible to read Greek manuscripts written in different types of uncials and lower case scripts, with particular emphasis on the latter. This is not a history of Greek letters, but rather an introduction to how to overcome the main obstacles presented by reading a manuscript (alphabets, ligatures, abbreviations, identifying personal handwriting, etc.).

Content and teaching methods

- Introduction to Greek manuscripts: working tools, writing materials and the important steps of distribution; - Biblical uncial script and its important witnesses; - the main types of uncial writing following upon the biblical; - Lower case script and its origins; - The evolution of lower case script; - The main deponents of the Renaissance. Each part of the course is illustrated by plates of the most important or characteristic deponents of a writing style.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Nil.

Programmes in which this activity is taught

Other credits in programs