Benedetta BESSI

EDUCATION

- Ph.D., Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology. University of Messina, 2002.Dissertation: Le necropoli di Sabratha: ideologia e rituale funerario nella Tripolitania antica.

- Diploma in Arabic culture and language, Italian Institute for Africa and the Orient, Rome, 2002.

- School of specialization, Classical Archaeology, Italian Archaeological School of Athens, December 1998.
Dissertation: Le stratigrafie e i materiali ellenistici e protoromani dello scavo intorno al mausoleo B di Sabratha

- B.A. (summa cum laude), Classical Studies, University of Florence, April 1994.
Dissertation: La musica del simposio nella ceramica attica

EXCAVATIONS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES

- Professional collaboration with the University “Roma Tre” in the frame of the project directed by Luisa Musso and sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the implementation of an open source digital library with bibliographical and archival material pertinent to the archaeological and historical heritage of Libya, 2015-2019.

- Professional collaboration with Meda Cultural Foundation for the editing of the proceedings of the workshop “The Red Castle and Museums of Tripolitania” published in QAL 21, n.s. 1, 2018.

- Participation to the project “The Red Castle and Museums of Tripolitania” under the direction of Luisa Musso, University “Roma Tre”. On-site survey in Tripoli, Libya in June 2014 and organization of a Libyo-Italian workshop in Zarzis, Tunisia June 2015.

- Member of the Italian team working at Sabratha under the direction of Antonino di Vita, 1998-2009. Study of the ceramic material and preparation of a report of the excavations around the Punic mausoleum. Project on the necropolis of Sabratha (mapping of monuments, storeroom and archive research, drawing of grave good material); translations into English of materials and projects on behalf of the Director.

- Trench supervisor in the excavations conducted in the area of the Greek agora of Gortys, Crete by the Italian Archaeological School of Athens, 1995-1997.

- Assistant to the director in the excavations conducted at Argyroupolis and Stavromenos (Rethymno), Crete by the Greek Ephorate of Chania, 1994.
- Trench supervisor in the excavations conducted at Tell Barri, Syria by the University of Florence (also in charge of pottery catalogue and drawing), 1991.

- Undergraduate member of the team excavating at Lago dell’Accesa, Tuscany University of Florence (with participation to the winter restoration lab), 1989-1991

AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS AND RESEARCH GRANTS

- Temple Presidential Humanities and Art Research Grant 2018

- John Cabot University Faculty Research Grants to attend conferences abroad and cover research expenses 2006-2019.

- Antonello da Messina Award, Category “Young Scholars for Excellence in Research”, Rome, Oct. 15, 2010.

- Alexander Onassis research grant (Institute of Neo-Hellenic Research, Prof. George Tolias), Spring 2007.

- Annual Mary Seeger O'Boyle Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Hellenic Studies, Princeton, 2005-2006.

- Three-year scholarship for doctoral research by the Italian Ministry of Education and Research, 1999-2002.

 -Three-year scholarship by the Italian Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Culture to complete the Specialization degree in Athens, 1995-1998.

- Erasmus Scholarship by the European Community to attend courses at the Archaeological Institute of the University of Munich, 1992-1993.

TEACHING ACTIVITY

- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Ancient History and Classical Studies, John Cabot UniversityRome, 2006-2020 (Roman History, Greek History, Wine and Wine Drinking in Classical Antiquity, Classical Mythology, Peoples of the Roman World, Greek and Roman Religion, Death and Mourning in the Ancient Cultures, Roman Africa).

- Adjunct Professor of Classical Studies at Temple University Rome, 2010-2020 (Classical Mythology, Race in the Ancient Mediterranean, Latin).

- Adjunct Professor of Roman Civilization, USAC Viterbo, 2012-2015 (Roman Civilization).

- Lecturer in Archaeology and Classics, Rome Study Center of Richmond, The American International University of London, 2002-2009 (Rome through the Ages, Classical Mythology, History of Philosophy I).

TV DOCUMENTARIES AND SHOWS

-  Short Film "A Journey to Rome - Discovering Venus Anh” by Michael Sundt, November 2018. 

-  "Footprints of Ancient Civilization" shown on the Italian "Focus" and distributed in the USA through Netflix, and National Geographic, October 2018.   

-"Empire Games" shown on the Italian "Focus" and distributed in the USA through Netflix, and National Geographic, September 2017.

- Contributor on the History of Roman Wine to "The Wine Show", a British TV show hosted by Matthew Mode and Matthew Rhys, filmed in Rome at the end of August 2015.   

- Consultant for BBC and History Channel Productions on the Cult of Cybele, Caligula and S. Peter’s life and preaching, Pontius Pilatus, Weather Changes in Antiquity.

- Local expert (10-2-2008) for the Discovery Channel Series “Out of Egypt” hosted by Dr. Kara Cooney (UCLA) on religious and funerary practices in the Roman world.  

- On camera interview (3-11-2008) by the Associated Press Television News on Julius Caesar and his funeral.

LANGUAGES

_ Italian, Native

 _ English, near to native proficiency

 _ German, full professional proficiency

_ Modern Greek, full professional proficiency

_ French, professional proficiency

_ Classical Arabic, intermediate literacy 

_ Ancient Greek 

_ Latin