Antiquity Studies

Epigraphic Falsification

Methods and Case Studies

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open access | peer reviewed
    edited by
  • Lorenzo Calvelli - Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italia - email orcid profile

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

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 en, it, fr

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.