Northeastern Italy is home to some of the major masterpieces of early Christian art. Inscriptions commissioned by Christian individuals are also abundant from the cities of Aquileia, Iulia Concordia and Ravenna. Yet, several other late antique settlements offer scarce evidence on their process of Christianisation. Through an interdisciplinary approach, I intend to investigate the impact of Christianity on some of the ancient sites of the Venetia region, which were geographically close, but featured ostensibly different scenarios. In particular, I will focus on the exam and interpretation of a newly discovered inscribed monument from the northern Venetian lagoon, which is likely to transmit the name and biographical data of the earliest known member of the Christian community from the area of the lagoon.

Lorenzo Calvelli is Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. His research focuses on Roman administrative and political history, on Latin inscriptions and early Christianity in the Venice region, and on the physical, cultural, and intellectual reception of classical antiquity. He teaches Roman History and Latin Epigraphy as well as a course on Venice and the Classical Past at the Harvard Summer Programme in Venice.

Part of the Late Antique and Byzantine Studies seminar series.

This event is open to all and free to attend. No booking is required.

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