This work intends to analyze the link between politics and secrecy in early modern Venice. Seventeenth-century Europe has seen the birth of periodical press and the beginning of a market of information. Venice was one of the main European centers involved in the dissemination of news during XVI° and XVII° centuries. Secrecy also had a great importance in the ideology of Venetian ruling class. It was an essential premise for the harmony and serenity of the Republic and important as well for the efficiency of policy-making. The Serenissima had also another peculiarity: its form of government involved several hundreds of patricians and bureaucrats, such posing serious threats to the preservation of State secrets. The great awareness of the importance of secrecy among the Venetian patriciate, led to the institution of the Inquisitori di Stato. This magistrature was specifically created to watch over the spread of State secrets and it was also involved in the organization of intelligence and counter-intelligence services. Through the analysis of its activity, that constantly grew during the Seventeenth century, and the study of internal political communication at Palazzo ducale I could understand the structure of the institutions involved in foreign politics and in the management of State secrets. Then I focused my attention on the methods of preservation of both confidential documents and information and finally to the organization of Venetian secret services, paying attention also to the dissemination of news in late Seventeenth-century Venice in both oral and written dimensions. Through the analysis of its activity and the study of internal political communication at Palazzo ducale I could understand the structure of the institutions involved in foreign politics and in the management of State secrets. Then I focused my attention to the methods of preservation of both confidential documents and information and finally to the organization of Venetian secret services.

partecipazione al PRIN 2009

Il lavoro prende avvio dalla volontà di studiare un gruppo di materiali rinvenuti in diversi momenti e attraverso differenti modalità nell'area del fondo ex Rossi (ex Prevedello, ora Campagnaro), collocato lungo la via Desman, nel comune di Borgoricco (PD). Tale territorio si inserisce all'interno dell’agro centuriato a nord-est di Padova.

Mercoledì 17 Dicembre, h. 11, Aula V Università di Roma La Sapienza Dipartimento di Studi Greco-latini, italiani, Scenico-Musicali