Aristocratic dynasties have long been regarded as fundamental to the development of early modern society and government. Yet recent work by political historians has increasingly questioned the dominant role of ruling families in state formation, underlining instead the continued importance and independence of individuals. In order to take a fresh look at the subject, this volume provides a broad discussion on the formation of dynastic identities in relationship to the lineage's own history, other families within the social elite, and the ruling dynasty. Individual chapters consider the dynastic identity of a wide range of European aristocratic families including the CroAs, Arenbergs and Nassaus from the Netherlands; the Guises-Lorraine of France; the Sandoval-Lerma in Spain; the Farnese in Italy; together with other lineages from Ireland, Sweden and the Austrian Habsburg monarchy. Tied in with this broad international focus, the volume addressed a variety of related themes, including the expression of ambitions and aspirations through family history; the social and cultural means employed to enhance status; the legal, religious and political attitude toward sovereigns; the role of women in the formation and reproduction of (composite) dynastic identities; and the transition of aristocratic dynasties to royal dynasties. In so doing the collection provides a platform for looking again at dynastic identity in early modern Europe, and reveals how it was a compound of political, religious, social, cultural, historical and individual attitudes.

Palazzo Sanvitale is located in Parma on the left bank of a stream, on the edge of the northeastern quadrant of the urban layout. The palace and garden fill two blocks, separated almost entirely by a minor decumanus. Ceramic and clay scraps from an underlying pit date the laying out of the decumanus towards the end of the 3rd century BC. In the south block, residential buildings recall the housing scenarios of the eastern Cispadana. To the east, a mixtilinear building dates to the 4th century AD. In the other block, superimposed on a primitive housing phase, the remains of a bathhouse dating to the second half of the 2nd century AD are outlined. During the Theoderican age, residential buildings, one of which seals the remains of a mill, filled both blocks. At the rear, in the area of the palace main courtyard, a lime kiln was erected. The extreme edge of a Lombard cemetery enters the excavation area from the north, overlapped by another cemetery, where the burial of an infant appears to be associated with a mensa. Earth embankments, reinforced by wooden poles and branches, contain the new riverbed. The study ends with the medieval levels dominated by the San Martino degli Zoppellari hospice. It is accompanied by essays on the materials from the excavations. The daily lives of the inhabitants are illustrated by means of the cookery vessels and tableware. Lastly, a detailed catalogue of the coins is presented, the cash lost by successive visitors to the area.

Twenty-two centuries in the history of Parma are reflected in this major excavation report. Between 1988 and 1992, during a re-building phase, archaeological research was carried out in the foundation levels of the Cassa di Risparmio di Parma e Piacenza (C.di R.) Bank in Parma, Emilia-Romagna. The building faces the southern area of Piazza Garibaldi (partly corresponding to the forum of the Roman city), and is set against the south side of St. Peter's church, which is founded on the most important temple of the colony and borders two roads of the colonial urban system - via dell'Universita and via Giordano Cavestro. This work presents the archaeological findings. In Italian with English abstract.