Raimondo Guarini
Encyclopedia
Raimondo Guarini was an Italian
archaeologist, epigrapher
, poet
, college president, and teacher. He was born on May 12, 1765 in Mirabella Eclano
, in the province of Avellino
, Campania
, Italy
, the second of three sons born to upper middle class parents-Angelo and Rosaria Guarini.
Raimondo and his younger brother Rafaelle entered the Dominican Order
, while the third brother, Dominic Antonio, attended medical school
. Both Raimondo and Rafaelle, after obtaining their educations, were forced to leave the Order when many of the religious houses in Southern Italy were being closed due to government suppression. Raimondo had risen in the Order to the rank of Abbot
. Meanwhile his older brother, with whom he shared his love of archaeology and epigraphy was becoming a well-known and successful medical doctor in Naples.
In Naples, Raimondo continued to pursue his studies, obtaining first a teaching position at the local college and later, in 1829, the presidency of the Academy Pontaniana. His students were usually the children of the wealthy nobility
. Some of his students and friends included Ferdinand I
, Ferdinand II
, and Maria Christina
of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
royal family and other of their children.
When not teaching, Raimondo found time for his greatest love. This was his archaeological and epigraphical research both at home and in the field. This research was the fuel for his teaching. The discovery of ancient artifacts often in situ, and the analysis of them was the thrill in his life. Raimondo visited so many sites and walked so many places that his fellow townsmen called him "Il Pedatore" ("The Walker")
Guarini wrote portions of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum on Campania
and Samnium
. Raimondo also worked at and on items found at Pompeii, and one of his most important works deals with life in that ancient city. In addition, he was often consulted for his expert opinion in classical matters and worked on the Royal Collections at Naples, such as The Bourbon Museum.
Guarini corresponded and collaborated with other classical scholars and archaeologists of the time, including German
archaeologists August Emil Braun
and Eduard Gerhard, and German classical scholar and Nobel Laureate Theodor Mommsen
. The debates with Mommsen were legendary in their time.
Guarini was also a pioneer in the study of the Oscan language
. He was a first to create an Oscan/Latin Dictionary. His other works, numbering close to one hundred, range from brief monographs to books. Many of his works can be found today in the libraries of larger colleges and universities (Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Columbia etc.). By far, the largest collection of his works may be found at the Vatican Library
in Rome
.
Guarini played an important role in the popular Classical Movement of the 1800s, centered at Naples in Southern Italy, after the rediscovery of Pompeii. He died on January 8, 1852 at Naples
. A secondary school, Scuola Secondaria Di 1° Grado Statale "R. Guarini" in his hometown of Mirabella Eclano, was named in his honor.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
archaeologist, epigrapher
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, college president, and teacher. He was born on May 12, 1765 in Mirabella Eclano
Mirabella Eclano
Mirabella Eclano is a town and comune of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:Mirabella is located 46 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Avellino....
, in the province of Avellino
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
, Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the second of three sons born to upper middle class parents-Angelo and Rosaria Guarini.
Raimondo and his younger brother Rafaelle entered the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, while the third brother, Dominic Antonio, attended medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
. Both Raimondo and Rafaelle, after obtaining their educations, were forced to leave the Order when many of the religious houses in Southern Italy were being closed due to government suppression. Raimondo had risen in the Order to the rank of Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
. Meanwhile his older brother, with whom he shared his love of archaeology and epigraphy was becoming a well-known and successful medical doctor in Naples.
In Naples, Raimondo continued to pursue his studies, obtaining first a teaching position at the local college and later, in 1829, the presidency of the Academy Pontaniana. His students were usually the children of the wealthy nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. Some of his students and friends included Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I reigned variously over Naples, Sicily, and the Two Sicilies from 1759 until his death. He was the third son of King Charles III of Spain by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. On 10 August 1759, Charles succeeded his elder brother, Ferdinand VI, as King Charles III of Spain...
, Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
, and Maria Christina
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies was Queen consort of Spain and Regent of Spain .-Early years and first marriage:...
of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
royal family and other of their children.
When not teaching, Raimondo found time for his greatest love. This was his archaeological and epigraphical research both at home and in the field. This research was the fuel for his teaching. The discovery of ancient artifacts often in situ, and the analysis of them was the thrill in his life. Raimondo visited so many sites and walked so many places that his fellow townsmen called him "Il Pedatore" ("The Walker")
Guarini wrote portions of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum on Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
and Samnium
Samnium
Samnium is a Latin exonym for a region of south or south and central Italy in Roman times. The name survives in Italian today, but today's territory comprising it is only a small portion of what it once was. The populations of Samnium were called Samnites by the Romans...
. Raimondo also worked at and on items found at Pompeii, and one of his most important works deals with life in that ancient city. In addition, he was often consulted for his expert opinion in classical matters and worked on the Royal Collections at Naples, such as The Bourbon Museum.
Guarini corresponded and collaborated with other classical scholars and archaeologists of the time, including German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
archaeologists August Emil Braun
August Emil Braun
August or Auguste Emil Braun was a German archaeologist.Braun initially studied archaeology and philosophy in Göttingen, then moved to Munich, later Dresden, and 1833 to Berlin, from where he followed Friedrich Wilhelm Eduard Gerhard to Rome.- Works :*Il giudiziodi Paride...
and Eduard Gerhard, and German classical scholar and Nobel Laureate Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
. The debates with Mommsen were legendary in their time.
Guarini was also a pioneer in the study of the Oscan language
Oscan language
Oscan is a term used to describe both an extinct language of southern Italy and the language group to which it belonged.The Oscan language was spoken by a number of tribes, including the Samnites, the Aurunci, the Sidicini, and the Ausones. The latter three tribes were often grouped under the name...
. He was a first to create an Oscan/Latin Dictionary. His other works, numbering close to one hundred, range from brief monographs to books. Many of his works can be found today in the libraries of larger colleges and universities (Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Columbia etc.). By far, the largest collection of his works may be found at the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Guarini played an important role in the popular Classical Movement of the 1800s, centered at Naples in Southern Italy, after the rediscovery of Pompeii. He died on January 8, 1852 at Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. A secondary school, Scuola Secondaria Di 1° Grado Statale "R. Guarini" in his hometown of Mirabella Eclano, was named in his honor.