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Res Gestae: The Queen of Inscriptions and the History of Epigraphers

By Morgan Palmer

The Res Gestae, famously dubbed by Theodor Mommsen (1887) as “The Queen” of inscriptions, is a testament to the collaborative achievements of epigraphers. Echoes of the Res Gestae in later authors, including Tacitus and Velleius Paterculus, reflect ancient Roman interest in studying, interpreting and appropriating this inscription (cf. Cooley 2009). This interest has continued over the years, with epigraphers ranging from amateur to professional reconstructing and reinterpreting the text.

The Method and Madness of Matteo Della Corte

By Holly Sypniewski

Archival research holds the potential to shed new light on the graffiti of Herculaneum, particularly for many of the nearly 60% of graffiti that are now lost. The paper will illustrate how careful study of Matteo Della Corte’s archived research papers can 1) improve readings for a number of graffiti which are currently unclear; 2) provide the only line drawings for many graffiti which were only published in type in CIL; and 3) show how Della Corte came to his propose some of his most problematic readings for the graffiti of Herculaneum.

The Correspondence of Günther Klaffenbach and Louis Robert (1929‒1972)

By Daniela Summa

The paper offers an overview of a project based in Berlin, at Inscriptiones Graecae, which aims to publish a lifelong correspondence (782 letters) between two of the most significant epigraphists of the 20th century: Günther Klaffenbach (1890‒1972), Director of the Inscriptiones Graecae (IG) at the Berlin Academy of Sciences and Humanities and author of several corpora, and Louis Robert (1904‒1985), Professor at the École Pratique des Hautes Études and at the College de France, and inter alia editor with Jeanne Robert of the Bulletin Épigraphique.

Inscription Hunting and Early Travellers in the Near East: The Cases of Pococke and Chandler Compared

By Alastair J.L. Blanshard

This paper explores the study of ancient inscriptions in the 18th century by contrasting the work of two early travellers, Richard Pococke (1704-1765) and Richard Chandler (1737-1810), who both published collections of inscriptions encountered on expeditions to the eastern Mediterranean. By focussing on how these two authors treated two different inscriptions (CIL III 143 & IG I3 1508), we can gain an insight into their aims and working practices. We also see the variety of audiences for whom such collections were assembled.