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

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, en, it

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.