The Great Livy Delusion, 1924, by Ron Ridley
The BSR is excited to present Ron Ridley’s lecture “The Great Livy Delusion, 1924”.
On 5 August 1924, an announcement was made in an obscure Neapolitan journal that a young scholar, Mario di Martino-Fusco, had discovered the complete text of Livy, all 142 books. The world slumbered on, until, on 21 August, The Times od London reproduced the notice. The world-s press descended on Naples, Martino fled to Capri. He would provide no details, and only asked to be left in peace (although he had spoken of his discovery to close associates over a year before). A fake interview was published in a Leipzig newspaper, including a facsimile of what purported to be a quotation of some twelve [sic] words from the 107 lost books. The Italian government finally intervened, summoning Martino to an investigation headed by Fausto Nicolini. Here on 16 September the whole story was revealed as a misunderstanding. And on 20 September The Ilustrated London News republished the supposed extract. Alfred Housman and Frederick Hall both instantly identified it.
Ron Ridley was educated at the University of Sydney (MA), and of Melbourne (DLitt). He was also honoured with a DLitt h.c. (Macquarie University). Ridley was inaugural Teaching Fellow for three years in Sydney, then taught for forty-one years in Melbourne, retiring frm a Personal Chair. FSA, FRHistS, Socio Corr.Pont.Accad.Arch.Rom, FAHA. His main interests are the history of the Ancient World (Egypt-Rome), the history of archaeology, especially Egypt and Rome, and the history of historiography. He was awarded the Princess Daria Borghese gold medal (2019) and honorary Italian citizenship (2022) for contributions to the history of Rome.
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