Throughout the initial phase of the project, the researcher engaged in a deep-dive into the fields of medieval Latin, palaeography, codicology, and archival sciences, garnering an advanced set of skills and knowledge. This newfound expertise was further enhanced by a simultaneous focus on interdisciplinary areas such as legal studies and criminal history. Moreover, the researcher broadened their capabilities in the digital scholarly edition and teaching. In a rigorous effort, approximately 7000 archival and judicial documents from the 13th and 14th centuries have been examined, culled from the State Archives of Bologna, Siena, Prato, Perugia, San Gimignano, Lucca, and Firenze. This painstaking task entailed the creation of an inventory of all the examined archival units and the transcription of more than 600 documents related to 'verba iniuriosa'.
In the second phase of the project, the researcher enhanced his skills in data processing and analysis, leveraging tools like Power BI to handle the vast and complex data. A comprehensive online database of verbal violence cases was designed, developed and shared on the project's blog, offering a wealth of verba iniuriosa cases for academic and public perusal. Designed in collaboration with Sapienza's Digilab, this powerful resource provides a wealth of insights into the socio-economic statuses, roles of women, geographic locations, and other facets of the cases. It became a dynamic tool for data analysis and a vehicle for the researcher's discoveries. The detailed analysis of these cases led to the identification of recurring patterns, ultimately culminating in the successful design and meta-dating of 456 cases. These insights were shared with the public via the project's blog, enhancing transparency and encouraging engagement.
Four out of five chapters of the project monograph titled "Criminal and Literary History of Satire in Medieval Italy," have been drafted. A book proposal has been subsequently submitted to the Cambridge OB Publisher. Additionally, two research papers intended for international peer-reviewed journals were drafted, with one, titled "Towards a Criminal History of Satire. The Medieval Italian Contribution," submitted for publication to the Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. The researcher was active in maintaining the project blog, updating it regularly with findings and insights. He also conducted two out of the planned three interviews with non-academic figures, recording and transcribing their views and observations.
