Proteus. An interpretative database of Greek and Roman mythical lore

IPROTEUS. An interpretative database of the Greek and Roman mythical lore is designed as a systematic online digital interpretative book of Greek and Roman mythical tales. PROTEUS takes its start from the project “Mythical lore. An
anthropology of ancient myth”, funded by the MIUR (PRIN 2010/11).
This project is methodologically rooted in the belief that myth is capable of conveying models of thinking and patterns of behaviour particularly important for the cultures that devised, elaborated and transformed it over time.
The myths will be arranged into four thematic categories.
1. The individual
2. The community
3. The world
4. The gods
These categories will be composed of subcategories (all of them subdivided into the twin sections Greece / Rome): the first category will include the subcategories Birth, Life, Death, Name, Gender, Emotions, Character, Health and Illness; the
second category will include the subcategories Kinship, Family, Towns and states, Political institutions and laws, Economy, War, Communication; the third category will include the subcategories Animals, Plants, Minerals, Space and Time; the fourth
category will include the subcategories Theogony; Worship; Festivals; Divination; Sacrifice; Prayer; Magic; Purification; Oath; Dream; Underworld.
The expected results of PROTEUS encompass:
1. the diffusion of classical culture at every level, thanks to the creation of an open-access resource which will result in a user-friendly, free, innovatively organized, scientifically state-of-the-art, interactive and thought-stimulating online database
of Greek and Roman mythical tales;
2. the promotion of the use of digital tools in a field of study where the role of online resources is still underestimated;
3. the consolidation of a network of scholars whose long lasting cooperation has given so far significant outcomes;
4. the possibility to fund the research activities of JRFs and Post-docs who already have developed an expertise, and revealed excellence, in the study of the ancient myths.
The Units will work under the leadership of M. Bettini, whose scientific production has long centred on the significance of myth for the comprehension of the ancient cultures and societies.
PROTEUS will overturn the perspective adopted by the traditional mythological repertories, since it will provide a panoramic view of the themes of cultural importance emerging out of the Classical mythical stories, by allowing the user to read in the
website all the sources relevant to a certain myth. The Italian and English translations of these sources will make the database available for all the users in the world, while promoting the excellence of Italy in this scientific subfield.
The global outcome of the PROTEUS project will be the creation of an indispensable tool for understanding the origins of our civilization, contributing to the establishment of a shared European culture, by allowing its users to rediscover the common
basis of this culture.