This book concerns the field of the history of philological-grammatical exegesis and ancient scholarship. Over recent decades this line of research has aroused lively interest, and noteworthy advances in knowledge have been achieved. In comparison with the state and trends of studies in the mid-20th century, the scenario now appears radically changed: editions of texts, preparation of reference tools, in-depth investigation on personalities, problems and movements have led to substantial progress in our understanding of these aspects of ancient literary culture.

The five articles that make up this book discuss both general questions and more specific points. Franco Montanari deals with the form of the Alexandrian ekdosis on the basis of the relationship between the library artefact on one hand and the text as an object of editing on the other. Lara Pagani treats the problem of the origins of the study of language in Greek Antiquity and specifically in Hellenistic scholarship. Paola Ascheri investigates the ideological position adopted by Rome in the age of Augustus in its relations with the Greek world, on the basis of her research into the Homeric scholia and in POxy. 3710. Silvia Consonni studies some specific aspects of Apollonius Dyscolus’ treatise On adverbs. Fausto Montana discusses the crucial point of the genesis of Greek scholiastic corpora.