Embedded Files
My research methodology is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach that brings together linguistics, history, epigraphy, and digital humanities, consistently framed within ancient world anthropology, the tradition in which I was academically trained at the Centre for Anthropology of the Ancient World in Siena. A recurring focus on scarcely documented areas and periods has characterized my practice from the start, demanding methodological flexibility and the ability to approach problems from every possible angle. I keep up with digital tools and coding to build meaningful bridges between the humanities and technology. My command of ancient Greek, Latin, Hittite, Luwian, Old Persian, and other minor ancient languages and their scripts, from Luwian Hieroglyphs to Latin cursive, enables me to work directly with original documents. My training and fieldwork as an epigraphist at the Schools of Archaeology in Athens further equipped me with the skills to manage relationships with museums and to apply best practices in document conservation.
My research focuses on the linguistic features of inscriptions in Greek and Anatolian languages.
My ORCID number is 0000000175154598.
My broad research interests
History of technical knowledge and technical languages, especially naval and military
Plurilingualism and multiculturalism in ancient Mediterranean, from the Bronze to the Hellenistic Age
Digital methodologies for History, Classics and Linguistics
Formation and evolution of Greek and Anatolian alphabets
Mycenaean Greek and Linear B script
What I am working on now
What I am working on now
Past projects
Past projects
PRIN Project, director Prof. A. Rizza
University of Verona 02/2024-12/2025
PhD Project, Supervisor Prof. M. Bettalli
University of Pisa/Siena/Firenze
Projects I collaborate on
Thracian inscriptions: corpus, alphabet & language
Thracian inscriptions: corpus, alphabet & language
led by Dr. A. Santamaria, CAU Kiel
The International "Language Phylogeny Poster" (LangPP) Project
The International "Language Phylogeny Poster" (LangPP) Project
led by Prof. Dr. T. Cole, Freie Berlin
Peer-reviewed publications
Peer-reviewed publications
You can also find most of my papers here on my Academia page and on my IRIS repository.
In preparation
SELVI, E., CASELLE, M., SANTAMARIA, A. & RIZZA, A. (in preparation, expected 2027) 'What's next?' Reading Sidetic inscriptions with collocations and constraints. To be submitted to Digital Scholarship in the Humanities (expected 2027).
In press
SELVI, E. (in press, expected 2026) Military Naval Language in Classical Athens (I). Hauling and Launching Ships: ἀνέλκω, καθέλκω and Related Terms. Scripta Mercaturae 53 (2024/2025), 5–40.
SELVI, E. & RIZZA, A. (2026) Computational approaches to orthographic variability in cuneiform bilinguals: The case of scriptio plena in Hattian. In Rizza, A., E. Selvi, M. Giorgieri (eds.) Texts and Textualizations in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean: from Hatti to Crete through Mesopotamia. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag.
RIZZA, A., E. SELVI, M. GIORGIERI (eds.) (2026)Texts and Textualizations in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean: from Hatti to Crete through Mesopotamia. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag.
SELVI, E. & SANTAMARIA, A. (in press, 2026) Katà tèn stélen. Listmaking for Greek Naval Inscriptions between the 2nd and the 1st Millennium BCE. In A. Rossi & P. Cotticelli (eds.) Closed Lists, Open Lists. Systematization and Transfer of Knowledge in Pre-Modern Societies. ISMEO & University of Verona, pp. 53–100. ISBN 9788866873228.
SELVI, E. (2026, in press) Gli alfabeti anatolici del I millennio [The Anatolian alphabets of the 1st millennium BCE]. In A. Rizza & L. Verderame (eds.), Le scritture del Mediterraneo Antico. Rome: Carocci.
SELVI, E. (2025). Reti sociali e variazione sociolinguistica: le iscrizioni funerarie ellenistiche di Aspendos [Social networks and sociolinguistic variation: the Hellenistic funerary inscriptions from Aspendos]. In R. Meyer, V. Fendel, & A. Viredaz (Eds.), Language Identity in Antiquity. Graeco-Roman and Ancient Near-Eastern Perspectives. Schwabe.
SELVI, E. (2026). From conquest to cohesion: Linguistic data for understanding conflict dynamics in Hittite Anatolia. In A. Santamaria, S. Wichmann, O. Nakoinz et al. (eds.) Modelling conflict in archaeology. Springer Nature.
Available
SELVI, E. & SANTAMARIA, A. (2026) The Greek Alphabet on the Periphery: Writing in Thracian in the Northern Aegean (6th–4th century BCE). In A. Bauer & D. Petit (eds.) Linguistic and Cultural Aspects of Script Systems [LautSchriftSprache – Script and Sound, 7], pp. 19–48. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. ISBN 9783752009255.
ZORMAN, M., RIZZA, A., BURNS, R. & SELVI, E. (2026) (eds.) Gary Holland ΜΝΕΙΑΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ: Indo-European and Related Studies in Memory of Gary B. Holland. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. ISBN 9783752009149.
SELVI, E. (2025). Hellenophones or barbarophones? Assessing Pamphylian intelligibility with the Levenshtein algorithm. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities. https://doi.org/10.1093/LLC/FQAF119
SELVI, E. (2024). Migas Laos. Aspendos, Perge e Sillyon: la Panfilia in età classica ed ellenistica. Peer-reviewed PhD Thesis, Università degli Studi di Pisa / Università degli Studi di Siena.
SELVI, E. & SANTAMARIA, A. (2023). Shaping The Pamphylian Alphabet: The Puzzle of The Two Digammas. Kadmos. Zeitschrift für vor- und frühgriechische Epigraphik 62/1: 94-115. ISSN: 1613- 0723. Berlin. DOI 10.1515/kadmos-2023-0005.
SELVI, E. (2024). Graeco-Anatolian Pamphylia. A Social Network Analysis of Funerary Epigraphy. In Pulvirenti, E./Giangiulio, M. (eds.): Anatolian Interactions. Criss cross contacts and cultural dynamics in the first millennium BCE. Trento: Trento University Press. https://doi.org/10.15168/11572_440830.
SELVI, E. (2023). Koineization and the Pamphylian Alphabet: instability and compromise. In MoraMarín, D./Cahill, L. (eds.): On the systematic nature of writing systems [Written Language and Literacy 26:1], pp. 77-97. Amsterdam-New York: John Benjamins Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.00074.sel.
SELVI, E. & SANTAMARIA, A. (2023). A Linguistic and Philological Analysis for a Revisitation of the Mycenaean e-re-ta Tablets. In: Bednaříková, B.; Lavička, D.; Maleňáková, Z. (eds.). Jazyky v pohybu a potenciál změny: Sborník příspěvků z 19.–23. ročníku mezinárodního setkání mladých lingvistů, pp. 29-45. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci. ISBN 978-80-244-6473-2.
SELVI, E. (2022). I graffiti dell’Acropoli di Perge. Una nuova testimonianza di scrittura alfabetica in Panfilia. In: Liverani, P./Foschi, M./Casadei, A. (eds.): ILLA. Espressioni e poetiche dell’identità. Pisa: Pisa University Press, pp. 375-390. ISBN 9788833395906.
SELVI, E. (2022). Le tavolette micenee in lineare B. In: Bettalli, M./De Vido, S. La storia greca: fonti e interpretazioni. Roma: Carocci, pp. 49-53. ISBN 9788829013531.
COLE, T. C. H./SIEBERT-COLE, E./SELVI, E. (2020). Family Tree of Languages – Versione Italiana. DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.25237.55520.
Conference papers
Conference papers
2026
SELVI, E. (June 2026) Hellenophones or barbarophones? Assessing Pamphylian intelligibility. In S. Elti di Rodeano & A. Matessi (eds.) Alpha Seminars. Anatolian Linguistics, Philology, History and Archaeology. Published online 12/06/2026. Video DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20663314
SELVI, E. & RIZZA, A. (2026) Progressi nella conoscenza della scrittura e della lingua di Side in Panfilia [Advances in the knowledge of the script and language of Side in Pamphylia]. Conference "Egitto e Vicino Oriente antico" ["Egypt and the Ancient Near East"], Florence, 17–19 June 2026.
SELVI, E. [conference paper] The technical language of Athens' Naval Inventories: inside the Piraeus' community of practice. International Conference SVAL. Sociolinguistic Variation in Ancient Languages, University of Cambridge, Jesus College / Faculty of Classics, 26–28 March 2026.
2025
[invited] Social Network Analysis and epigraphy: exploring multiculturalism and multilinguism through networks. 10/11/2025, The Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture, Groningen University.
[invited] It's all Greek to me: assessing the intelligibility of minority languages in Pamphylia with the Levenshtein algorithm. 6/11/2025, Center for Language and Cognition (CLCG) - Groningen, Language Diversity Research Group, Groningen University.
Barbarophones or Hellenophones? Assessing Pamphylian Intelligibility with the Levenshtein algorithm. 26/06/2015. 11th International Colloquium in Ancient Greek Linguistics - Université Côte d'Azur, Nice.
SELVI, E. & RIZZA, A. (2025) Variability in Hattic texts: computational tools and approaches. 5-6/06/2025. Studies on translations and tradition of plurilingual texts in Hittite Anatolia Workshop - Università di Pavia.
[invited] Alphabets on the periphery: the reinterpretation of the corpus doctrinae on the edges of the Greek world. 28-29/04/2025, LautSchrift Sprache Conference, Île d'Oléron (with Dr. A. Santamaria).
Multivariate SNA and linguistic choices: an analysis of funerary inscriptions from Hellenistic Pamphylia. 03/04/2025, IX Epigraphy.info Workshop, University of Aarhus.
From conquest to cohesion: Linguistic data for understanding conflict dynamics in Hittite Anatolia. 24-29/03/2025, Kiel Conference - Scales of Social, Environmental & Cultural Change in Past Societies, University of Kiel.
[invited] L'antroponomia nell'Anatolia ellenistica: contatti e divergenze fra greco panfilio e sidetico. 24/01/2025, Giornata di studi su Scrittura, lingua e società nel Mediterraneo Orientale antico, Università di Verona (with Prof. Dr. A. Rizza).
2024
Le basi aggettivali in hurrita: verso una prospettiva tipologica. 4-5/11/2024. Cantieri d'Autunno 2024 - Sezione di Orientalistica, Università degli Studi di Pavia. With Dr. Fabio Bastici (Pavia) & Alessandro Rossi (Roma La Sapienza).
Prospettive tipologiche nell’analisi delle radici aggettivali in hurrita. 24-26/10/2024. LVIII Convegno della Società Italiana di Glottologia: La storia, le storie e la linguistica - Sapienza Università di Roma. With Dr. Fabio Bastici (Pavia) & Alessandro Rossi (Roma La Sapienza).
Language Choices and Identity Reflections in Hellenistic Pamphylia: A Social Network Analysis of Funerary Inscriptions. 19/07/2024, Language and Identity in Antiquity, Université de Lausanne.
Pausanias’ Erythrai. Indigenous elements in foundation myths of Hellenistic and Imperial Age Asia Minor. 9-12/07/2024, Panel ‘Pausanias from Different Perspectives’ - 15th Celtic Conference in Classics, University of Cardiff.
[Invited] Plurigrafismo e plurilinguismo nell’Asia Minore ellenistica. 14/06/2024, Testi e Testualizzazione: mise en page e mise en texte nel Vicino Oriente Antico, Università di Verona.
[Invited discussant] Basic adjectives in Hurrian. 21/02/2024, Università di Pavia. Keynote lecture: F. Plank, Discussants: M. Giorgieri, A. Rizza, F. Bastici, E. Selvi.
2023
[Invited] Alphabets in contact: an anthropological approach to the transmission of the alphabet from Greece to Anatolia. 14/03/2023, Museo di Antalya.
Due decreta navalia dal Pireo. IG I³ 153 e 154 e la gestione delle strutture portuali nella seconda metà del V secolo. SAEG VIII – Seminario Avanzato di Epigrafia Greca, Università degli Studi di Perugia.
2022
[Invited] Graeco-Anatolian Pamphylia. Data from regional onomastics. 09-10/12/2022, Anatolian Interactions. Criss-cross contacts and cultural dynamics in the first millennium BCE, University of Trento.
[Invited] Shaping the Pamphylian Alphabet through interference and isolation: the representation of the glides. 24-25/03/2022, PaLAC Workshop – Languages and Cultures in Contact in the Ancient Mediterranean, University of Verona (with A. Santamaria, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna).
Aspect and Actionality in Archaic and Classic Attic Epigraphs at a Syntax-Semantic Interface. 15-18/06/2022, ICAGL – International Colloquium on Greek Linguistics. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (with A. Santamaria, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna).
2021
Aspetto e azionalità nel lessico navale militare. Possibilità per l'integrazione dei cataloghi frammentari del IV secolo. 15/12/2021, Colloquio invernale - Scuola Archeologica Italiana ad Atene.
A Story without an End. The Never Reached Systematization of the Pamphylian Alphabet. 21-23 October 2021, 13th International Workshop on Writing Systems and Literacy - AWLL13: On the systematic nature of writing systems, University of North Carolina, USA.
2019-2020
Building a Borderland: Tales and Traditions on Greek Pamphylia. 15-17/10/2020, 2nd International Conference for Postgraduate Students and PhD Candidates in Classics ''Discourses about Otherness: Forms of the Other in Ancient Greek and Latin Literature.'' Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
The crews of the Sicilian Expedition. An analysis of the sources for the rowers’ social status in the 5th cent. B.C.E. 10/10/2019, 10th MA and PhD Philology Candidates Conference Faculty of Philology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
A Linguistic and Philological Analysis for a Revisitation of the Mycenaean e-re-ta Tablets. 14/05/2019, Mezinárodního setkáni mladých lingvistů. Filozofické fakulty - Univerzity Palackého v Olomouci. With A. Santamaria, Università di Bologna.
Social status and roles in the Mycenaean navy. 23/01/2019, Post-graduate Work in Progress Seminars, Dept. of Greek and Latin - University College London.
Status sociale e ruolo nella flotta militare micenea di ki-ti-ta, me-ta-ki-ti-ta e po-si-ke-te-re. 11/12/2018, Classicamente – Dialoghi Senesi sul Mondo Antico, Centro di Antropologia del Mondo Antico. Università degli Studi di Siena.
Epigraphic fieldwork (archaeological sites and museums)
Epigraphic fieldwork (archaeological sites and museums)
Thracian inscriptions in Alexandropouli and Komotini, November 22nd - December 7th 2025, with Dr. Andrea Santamaria (CAU Kiel).
Athenian naval inscriptions in the Epigraphic Museum of Athens II, August 1st - August 31st 2023, with the École française d’Athènes.
Cretan Hieroglyphs and Linear A seals and sealings in the Heraklion Museum and the archaeological sites of Myrtos Pyrgos, Archanes, Vassilikì and Haghia Triada (Crete, Greece), 15th-30 April 2023, with Dr. Andrea Santamaria (Bologna).
Pamphylian inscriptions in the Antalya Museum and the archeological sites of Aspendos, Perge, Sillyon and Termessos (Turkey), March 1st-March 30th 2023. Collaboration with archaeologist Dr. Fatma Nur Konukman.
Athenian naval inscriptions in the Epigraphic Museum of Athens I, September 1st - December 20th 2021, with the Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse