Umbra Institute Professor Giampiero Bevagna will give a lecture entitled “Pompeii through the Ages: Ravage or Rescue?” at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., on Monday.
Bevagna, currently teaching the Archaeology and Roman Civilization courses at Umbra, plans to discuss how the sudden eruption of Vesuvius froze the vibrant, ancient city of Pompeii for 1,500 years until its discovery in the late 16th century, launching various societies’ subsequent censorship, rediscovery, plundering, conservation, and current exhibition of the ruins.
Trinity College Italian History and Culture Professor John Alcorn said the lecture “promises to be a lively talk and discussion” centered on the key question: “Will the remains of Pompeii survive the environmental and economic pressures of the modern world?”
“The idea is to show how the perception of Pompeii has changed over the course of time,” Bevagna added. “There’s a Pompeii for every era, from the city of the Romans to the current tourist destination.”
Pompeii is fresh in the professor's mind: March 22-24, Bevagna led his Roman Civilization students through the ruins on an Umbra field trip.
A Perugia native, Bevagna has taught courses in Italian history, culture, and archaeology at the Umbra Institute for 11 years.
“It’s great to have faculty visit a prestigious university in the United States,” said Umbra Director of Academic Programs Francesco Burzacca. “We are happy to strengthen our ties with our partners in the U.S. and add to the internationalization of our faculty.”
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