Istruzione, religione e propaganda. Riflessioni su una scuola romana tardomedievale

Dario Internullo, Istruzione, religione e propaganda. Riflessioni su una scuola romana tardomedievale [Education, Religion and Propaganda: Remarks on a Late Medieval School in Rome]

The article reflects on the relationship between school, religion, and propaganda in the late Middle Ages through the analysis of a textbook produced for a Roman school during the years 1330-1340 ca. An attempt to understand the functioning of the school, as well as to detect the social identity of teachers and students, is proposed first. An illustration of the religious aspects of the education follows. Then, some reflections on the political colour of the model-letters (dictamina) to be studied in the school are provided. A final section brings the discussion to a more general level, considering the school as a tool for social discipline. The appendix offers a synopsis of all the model-letters, and the edition of five letters concerning recommendation mechanisms.

Keywords: School – Religion – Propaganda – Rome – Fourteenth century – Dictamen