Ludovico Runco

Research

My thesis:

My research investigates the socio-political and cultural dynamics of the Brettians, an Oscan-speaking group of South Italy (Magna Graecia), with a particular focus on migratory phenomena and integration processes across the Italian peninsula during the first millennium BC, such as the ritual of the Ver Sacrum ("The Sacred Spring"). By critically reassessing the embellished and mythologised narratives of migration and ethnogenesis found in ancient literary sources, I aim to develop an up-to-date interpretation of these traditions.

A central objective of my work is to provide a clearer understanding of Brettian culture within the broader context of Magna Graecia and the ancient Mediterranean as a whole. This includes examining the varying degrees of interaction and mutual influence between the Brettians, the Lucanians, and the Italiote Greeks over time.

Additionally, I aim to elucidate the political organisation of the Brettians, moving beyond assumptions based on analogies with better-documented Italic polities. Through the analysis of epigraphic material, I seek to identify political offices and institutions specific to the Brettians and assess the extent to which their proximity to the Italiote Greeks contributed to the development of hybrid political structures.

Research interests

• Pre-Roman Italy
• Magna Graecia
• Roman Republic
• Ethnicity
• Migration and mobility
• Myth and origin stories

Teaching

• HS3108 - The Near East, Greece and Rome, 1000-323 BCE
• HS3103 - Investigating the Ancient World: Skills and Evidence
• HS2123 - The Archaeology of Mediterranean Societies: Egypt, Greece and Rome

Biography

I was born in Cosenza, Italy. I started my classical formation already at a high school level through Liceo Classico, moving then to the United Kingdom in 2017 to begin my university career. I graduated in Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Leicester before completing a MA in Ancient History and Classical Culture at Swansea University. Currently, I am undertaking a PhD at Cardiff University under the supervision of Professor Guy Bradley and Dr. Maria Fragoulaki.

Honours and awards

• PhD, Ancient History - Cardiff University (2022-present).
• MA, Ancient History & Classical Culture - Swansea University (2020-2021).
• BA, Ancient History & Archaeology - University of Leicester (2017-2020).

Professional memberships

• Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies (2022-present)
• Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies (2022-present)

Academic positions

• Graduate tutor (2023-present)
• Research assistant (2023)
  • Twittering the War: Herodotus, Thucydides, and the War in Ukraine on Social Media

Speaking engagements

• Celtic Conference in Classics 2025. - Coimbra, Portugal (upcoming)
  • Paper titled: 'Migratory Phenomena in Bruttium in 4th to 3rd century BC', within the panel 'Rethinking Colonization in Ancient Italy and the Western Mediterranean (500-250 BCE)' organised by Prof Guy Bradley (Cardiff University) and Dr Jeremia Pelgrom (University of Groningen).
• Celtic Conference in Classics 2024. - Cardiff, UK
  • Paper titled: 'The Role of Myth within Brettian Identity', within the panel 'War and Peace: People and the State in Pre-Roman Italy' organised by me and Kieran Blewitt.
• Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient History (AMPAH) 2024 - Cardiff, UK
  • Paper titled: 'Identity and "space" in Bruttium between the 4th and 2nd century BC'.

Publications

• (upcoming edited volume) War and Peace: People and the State in pre-Roman Italy. Classical Press of Wales.

Committees and reviewing

• Currently writing a book review for Bryn Mawr Classical Review (upcoming, 2025).
  • Book being reviewed: Menozzi, Oliva (2024). From Safin to Roman: Cultural Change and Hybridization in Central Adriatic Italy.
• Organiser of a panel at the 15th Celtic Conference in Classics 2024.
  • Panel title: 'War and Peace: People and the State in pre-Roman Italy'.
• Committee member of the Organising Committee, AMPAH (Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient History) 2024.
  • Theme: Interdisciplinary Approaches to People, Power and Place.