Universität Wien

090112 VU Deciphering Manuscripts: Introduction to Greek Palaeography (2026S)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Tu 12.05. 12:45-14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: German, English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

• Dienstag, 23.06.: Papyrusmuseum
• Dienstag, 30.06.: ÖNB, Handschriftensammlung

  • Tuesday 03.03. 12:30 - 14:00 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 10.03. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 17.03. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 24.03. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 14.04. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 21.04. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 28.04. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 19.05. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 26.05. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 02.06. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 09.06. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 16.06. 12:45 - 14:15 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Byzantinistik u. Neogräzistik, Postgasse 9, 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 23.06. 12:45 - 14:15 Ort in u:find Details
  • Tuesday 30.06. 12:45 - 14:15 Ort in u:find Details

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course aims to provide an introduction to Greek palaeography. We will trace the development of Greek handwriting from late antiquity to the sixteenth century and place the principal types of scripts in their historical and regional contexts. Classes will consist of lectures on key questions in Greek palaeography and ongoing developments in research, followed by practical sessions in which the instructor guides students in reading excerpts from Greek manuscripts from different periods. Students will also learn to use appropriate terminology for the description of Greek scripts, produce accurate transcriptions (an important skill for prospective editors of Greek texts), and employ core printed and digital tools for the analysis of Greek hands. Visits to the Papyrus Museum and to the Collection of Manuscripts and Old Prints of the Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) will complement the classroom work by providing direct engagement with original materials. By the end of the course, students should have a solid overview of the history of writing and be able to read texts from manuscripts independently. They should also be able to date a manuscript and, ideally, determine its place of origin.

Assessment and permitted materials

Active participation and on-time submission of written assignments: 50%
Final (oral) exam: 50%

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

A basic reading knowledge of Greek is required, as we will work with original sources. Because this is a continuous assessment course, attendance is required; as a general rule, up to two absences are permitted. Please notify the instructor in advance if you cannot attend a session. Written assignments must be submitted by the deadlines set by the instructor; late submissions will negatively affect the final grade. The final oral exam may be taken in English or German, according to the student’s preference. To successfully complete the course, students must achieve at least a sufficient (4) in each of the following components: active participation, written assignments, and the final oral exam.

Examination topics

Topics discussed during the course.

Reading list

• M. L. Agati, The Manuscript Book: A Compendium of Codicology. Revised and updated English ed. Rome, 2017.
• A. Bausi et al. (eds.), Comparative Oriental Manuscript Studies: An Introduction. Hamburg, 2015. See D. Bianconi, “Greek Palaeography,” 267–270; 297–305.
• N. Wilson, “Palaeography.” In: The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies, edited by E. Jeffreys, J. Haldon, R. Cormack. Oxford, 2008, 101–114.
• D. Bianconi, E. Crisci, P. Degni, Paleografia greca. Rome, 2021.
• E. Follieri, Codices graeci Bibliothecae Vaticanae selecti temporum locorumque ordine digesti commentariis et transcriptionibus instructi. Rome, 1969.
• L. Perria, Graphis: Per una storia della scrittura greca libraria (secoli IV a.C.–XVI d.C.). Rome and Vatican City, 2011.

Additional readings will be announced in the course of the semester.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Tu 17.03.2026 10:26