Giacomo Savani

Profile

I am a Roman archaeologist, and my research explores the spread and adoption of Roman culture across different spaces and times, focusing on Roman material culture – especially baths and bathing – as a vector and an expression of political, social, and cultural relations. Before starting at Leeds in September 2024, I completed my PhD in Classics at the University of Leicester in 2017. Subsequently, I held an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship in the School of Classics, University College Dublin (2019–2022), a Royal Society of Edinburgh Saltire Early Career Fellowship in the School of Classics, University of St Andrews (2022–2023), and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship at the School of History, Ca’Foscari University of Venice (2024).

Research interests

My work spans across disciplines, examining topics such as Roman imperialism, the history of ancient senses, ancient medicine and its reception, and ancient environments.
I am particularly interested in ancient baths and hydrotherapy, which I explore in my book Rural Baths in Roman Britain: A Colonisation of the Senses (Routledge, in press). The book provides a new understanding of the relationship between rural baths and the development of the identity of local communities in Roman Britain. Building on the theoretical framework of sensory archaeology, I address issues of receptivity, social acceptance, and cultural interaction, expanding the current knowledge of the cultural and social changes taking place in Roman Britain. My research reveals the under-investigated power of rural baths to connect a broader range of people than previously thought. It also emphasises the pivotal role of the senses in the acceptance of the bathing practice in the countryside of Roman Britain and the accumulation of affect around it by diverse social groups.
My RSE project, Women and Baths in Ancient Medicine, and my Marie Skłodowska-Curie project, Women and the Baths: Ancient Medicine, Pleasure, and The Female Body in Renaissance Italy, continued my research on ancient baths but shifted the focus to the female body, assessing the role that ancient hydrotherapy had in creating gender-specific medical knowledge in the Renaissance. I also explored how unwell women experienced the material culture and architecture associated with healing bathing in Antiquity and the Renaissance, responding to the lack of engagement with disability that still characterises sensory studies.

I am a member of the BATH – BAlnea & THermae research group, the Centre for Ancient Environmental Studies, University of St Andrews, and the ERC-funded project The Water Cultures of Italy, 1500-1900, Ca’Foscari University of Venice. Since 2015, I have been involved in the organisation of more than 15 conferences and workshops, including the symposium ‘A Compendium of Climate Literacies’ in collaboration with Cove Park (an artist residence in Scotland). This event offered an interdisciplinary platform for international academics and artists to discuss the role of the past in shaping our current environmental crisis and its unequally distributed effects. Furthermore, in 2021–22, I created two seasons of a successful podcast series, The Sustainable Past, focusing on water, health, and sustainability in Antiquity.

Qualifications

• Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
• PhD in Roman Archaeology, University of Leicester
• Master’s degree in Classical Archaeology (Distinction), University of Bologna
• Bachelor’s Degree in Classics (First class),University of Bologna

Professional memberships

• Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
• Member of the BATH – BAlnea & THermae research group
• Member of the Centre for Ancient Environmental Studies, University of St Andrews
• Member of the ERC-funded project The Water Cultures of Italy, 1500-1900, Ca’Foscari University of Venice

Student education

I design, lead, and assess research-driven modules in Roman history, culture, and archaeology across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. My teaching portfolio also includes Latin and Ancient Greek, which I teach at beginner and intermediate levels. Additionally, I supervise research projects at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, supporting students in developing their scholarly skills. The quality of my research-led teaching was recognised by a 2016 University of Leicester Superstar Award .

I welcome applications from prospective PhD candidates eager to explore all facets of Roman history and archaeology. My research interests are mainly focused on the Roman provinces, examining themes such as local identity, cultural transformation, and human-environment interactions. Candidates with a passion for these areas are encouraged to get in touch!