Antiquity Studies

Epigraphic Falsification

Methods and Case Studies

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open access | peer reviewed

Abstract
The book investigates the complex articulations of epigraphic forgery, a phenomenon widely attested in Italy between the late Middle Ages and the 18th century. Non-genuine inscriptions or falsae, as Theodor Mommsen called them, are those that present themselves as ancient, but in reality are not. They can be produced either on material support or simply on paper. Within them, different types of documents can be distinguished: forgeries made for malicious purposes, replicas of ancient inscriptions, and texts or monuments inspired by classical epigraphic models. The book brings together fifteen scholarly essays, which examine individual cases of forgery, reconstruct the epistemology of forgery criticism and rehabilitate numerous epigraphs mistakenly believed to be forgeries, while confirming their actual antiquity.

Keywords Antiquarians • Savoy Piedmont • Critical editions • Epigraphic forgeries • Forgery • Antonio Trevisi • Decretum Rubiconis • Spain • Lex de imperio Vespasiani Antonio Agustín • Epigraphic research • Latin poets of Renaissance • F • Primacy of Sardinia • Lucas Peto • Aquileia • Forged inscriptions • Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum • Copies • Theodor Mommsen • Intellectual history • CIL VI 991* • Epigraphic models • Ager Mediolanensis • False inscriptions • House of Savoy • Pseudo-antique palaeography • Fake inscriptions • Aqua Vergine • Manuscript • Spurious imitations • Council of Trent • Fake • Epitaph • G • Latin epigraphy • Marche • Thomas Hollis • Ancient restorations • Roman Liguria • Internet • John Disney • Non-alphabetic graphemes • Epigraphic forgeries on paper • Casa Museo dell’Antiquariato Ivan Bruschi • CIL VI 990* • Ciriaco de’ Pizzicolli • Epigraph balanced between dimensions and inscripti • Epigraphy • Printed editions • Christian forgeries • Classical scholarship • Jacopo Valvasone • Aqueducts • Luigi Biraghi • Coarse altar • Renaissance • Amphora • Senatus consultum • Fitzwilliam Museum • Forgeries • Antiquarian market in the early 1900s • Forged blunder • Meyranesio • Pingone • Inscribed zone as decorative surface • Counterfeit instrumentum inscriptum • Lepontic • Mariangelo Accursio • Documentary forgeries • Pirro Ligorio • Digital editions • Manuscripts • Cities

Thema codes NKX • 3K • 1DST

Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/978-88-6969-386-1 | e-ISBN 978-88-6969-386-1 | ISBN (PRINT) 978-88-6969-387-8 | Number of pages 312 | Dimensions 16x23cm | Published Dec. 16, 2019 | Language fr, it, en

Copyright © 2019 Lorenzo Calvelli. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.