Davide Maria Meucci

My name is Davide Maria Meucci, and I am a doctoral student at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. My project is a study of urban history aimed at understanding how the Armenians, Indians, and the inhabitants of the Iranian empires, particularly the Parthians and later the Sasanians, have influenced and modified the urban landscape of Rome.

This project is a continuation and development of the research for my thesis for the Specialization School, which I completed at the University of Rome "Sapienza." For that thesis, I analysed the presence of the Arsacid elite in Rome during the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

My university studies have been diverse. I initially focused on Nubian Archaeology and later shifted to the study of Roman craftsmen within the Sasanian Empire. This ultimately defined the field to which I would direct my academic interests: the relationship between Romans and Iranians, particularly the Arsacids and Sasanians. In recent years, as I became passionate about the study of urban history and topography, it became the focus of my research journey. Thanks to my completion of a second-level Master's in "Architecture for Archaeology" and the Specialization School, I have honed and perfected my abilities to contextualize historical events and archaeological data in the ancient urban landscape.

The definition of my research topic emerged from the intersection of the areas I became passionate about during my academic journey. By combining the Iranian world and urban history, I decided to investigate how these peoples lived in Rome and left their mark. I'm analysing urban history not only from the Roman perspective but, more importantly, from that of the non-Roman populations.

Over the years, my skill set has been enriched by numerous excavation experiences both in Italy and abroad. Thanks to these experiences, I've had the opportunity to interact in diverse and culturally heterogeneous contexts. I have participated in numerous excavation campaigns in Rome, Villa Adriana, Sudan, Sicily, and Iran. In recent years, I have become a member of the University Sapienza's mission at the Horrea Piperataria in Rome, led by Professor Domenico Palombi.

Finally, I have participated in national and international scientific conferences, presenting the results of my ongoing research. I have had the opportunity to engage in stimulating exchanges of ideas at these events, including conferences like "Lazio e Sabina 13," "Students' IX International Conference: Contemporaneity of Antiquity," and "XX Congreso Internacional Arys 2023: Movilidad religiosa en el mundo antiguo."