Giovanni Colonna

Who is Giovanni Colonna?

Giovanni Colonna is a contemporary Italian scholar of ancient Italy and, in particular, the Etruscan civilization.

Colonna is an emeritus professor at the Sapienza University of Rome where he has taught since 1980. He took his first degree at Rome in 1957, studying under Massimo Pallottino. He studied further at Rome and Athens and was then archaeological superintendent of south Etruria from 1964 until 1972. He has carried out numerous fieldwork campaigns in Etruria and in other locations. With his wife, Elena Di Paolo, he excavated the necropolis at Viterbo and published two volumes: Castel d’Asso and Norchia I.

He is well known for his work on the Etruscan site of Veii and the temple of Apollo at that site. He has also carried out extensive work at Pyrgi and is the author of numerous articles and books, now numbering more than 300. Colonna is a member of the Accademia dei Lincei in Rome. In 2005 he was honored with a massive, 4-volume, 2,695 page collection of his work and writing entitled Italia ante Romanum imperium: scritti di antichità etrusche, italiche e romane.