The emergence of epigraphy in the Kingdom of Naples

This paper explores attitudes to the inscriptions of Pompeii and Herculaneum during the Bourbon era, considering what role was played by inscriptions in shaping visitors’ responses to the sites; what value they had in the eyes of the sites’ excavators and royal patrons; and the extent to which inscriptions in the Kingdom of Naples played a role in the development of epigraphy as a sub-discipline. It assesses how the treatment of inscriptions reflected the needs of politics and was also affected simply by practicalities; how prominent foreigners at Naples might lead the way in directing attention to particular inscriptions; and the degree to which the Kingdom of Naples should be remembered as a place of innovation and experimentation, rather than purely as a place of repression and secrecy. It also illustrates how epigraphy did not remain the preserve of professional scholars, but became incorporated into various domestic contexts.

Ancient history · Art · Epigraphy · Humanities · Kingdom · Political science · Politics · Secrecy · Value (mathematics) · Visual arts · Classical Antiquity Studies · Computer Science · Historical and Religious Studies of Rome · Historical Art and Culture Studies · History · Law