Il mito dell'antica Grecia nel Risorgimento italiano

Abstract

Between the second half of the 18th century and the early decades of the 19th century, there was a widespread revival of interest in the Greek world across Europe, with a particular emphasis on its classical components. This period marked the beginning of a broad philhellenic sentiment – a movement of sympathy and friendship towards the ancient Hellenes and modern Greeks – that would provide significant support for the Greek people's fight for liberty against Ottoman rule during the first half of the 19th century. This sentiment was further fueled by the flow of exiles fleeing countries impacted by reactionary forces and the Holy Alliance. The myth of Hellas, it should be noted, had been present in Western culture since at least the Middle Ages. However, between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the discovery and idealization of ancient Greece became foundational elements in shaping European identity, which identified Greece as the cradle of European culture. Building on this context, the contribution focuses on the revival of the myth of ancient Greece during the Italian Risorgimento. This theme is reconstructed succinctly and in its essential aspects through contemporary writings and sources, as well as through a selection of noteworthy bibliographic contributions from both the national and international scholarly landscape.