I was born in 1999 and graduated from the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” with a thesis on a late antique writer: Theophylact Simocatta, an author positioned at the boundary between classicism and the Byzantine period.
I then pursued a master’s degree at the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” where I completed a thesis on the proems of Procopius of Caesarea’s works (supervised by Professor Gianfranco Agosti). Currently, I work as an Assistant Researcher, and I am a PhD student at the Leopold-Franzens-Universität of Innsbruck (in cotutelle with the University of Pisa). I am supervised by PI Stefan Zathammer on the “Scanderbegus Latinus” project, which focuses on Neo-Latin literature related to the life and deeds of George Castriot Scanderbeg. For my doctoral research, I have presented a project on the commentary of Procopius of Caesarea’s Vandal Wars (supervised by Professors Martin Korenjak and Gianfranco Agosti).

I have also studied acting, voice acting, and singing at prestigious academies in Rome (Ermavilo and Vicolo dell’Artista), and I have written for online magazines in the fields of current affairs and culture (Ulai of Padua and QuestioneCivile of Rome), occasionally addressing topics related to my research.

Leopold-Franzens-Universität of Innsbruck

My PhD project offers a literary commentary on Book III of Procopius of Caesarea’s Wars, focusing on his language, style, and rhetoric. While Procopius is widely recognized as a crucial source for understanding the reign of Justinian, his literary artistry has often been overlooked, in contrast to historians like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Polybius, who are celebrated for their historiographical innovations and literary sophistication. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing Procopius not only as a historian but also as an author who masterfully controls language and rhetorical techniques.

The Vandal Wars, particularly Book I, present a coherent narrative that contrasts with the more fragmented and disillusioned tone of, for example, his later Gothic Wars. This Bellum has been inadequately studied by both erudites and scholars of the past, who have been more focused on the reconquest of Italy and Rome (the cradle of the Empire to be restored), as well as on the ancient and protracted war against the long-standing enemy, the Persians.
The analysis will explore how Procopius’ stylistic choices reflect his emulation of classical historiography, especially the Thucydidean model, and his use of refined, classicizing language. The commentary will highlight Procopius’ rhetorical and narrative strategies, demonstrating how his work targets both an educated elite and a broader audience.

My proposed commentary will address key passages from Book III, focusing on linguistic, stylistic, and rhetorical phenomena, while the translation will strive to maintain the nuances of Procopius' original prose, including his use of puns and rhetorical figures. So, it aims to deepen our understanding of Procopius as both a historian and a literary artist, offering new insights into the historical and cultural dynamics of Late Antiquity.

Late Antique historiography, Late Antiquity, Procopius of Caesarea, Rhetorics and Literacy in Late Antiquity, Humanistic and Modern Neo-Latin Literature, Scanderbeg in Neo-Latin Literature