Giovanni Giustino Ciampini

Giovanni Giustino Ciampini (* April 13, 1633 in Rome, † July 12, 1698 ) was an Italian priest, historian and archaeologist Christian.

Giovanni Giustino Ciampini studied law at the University of Rome. In 1657 he was laureato in utroque iure at the University of Macerata. After a short time he moved with his interests in the archeology. To this end, he became magister brevium Gratiae to the Apostolic office in Rome. He reached the office of prelate in his career in the Curia. Ciampinis activity occurred in the period of the Counter Reformation, which influenced his work directly. This included his participation in the beginnings of Christian Archaeology.

His main work for Christian Archaeology appeared in two parts, the first in 1690 and the second in 1699, a year after his death. The former issues are today obsolete in many parts of the archaeological and historical texts were mostly tendentious. Nevertheless, the work is still of importance because the illustrations show many works on the subject of history beyond that are lost today. The work was based on the antiquarian collections of Panvinio Onofrio and Antonio Bosio, with Ciampini limited to the above-ground monuments. He offered the first time a compilation of the late antique and early Christian mosaics and paintings in Rome, which he likened to the works of Ravenna, Konstantin Opel, Capua and other places. In addition, the work contained numerous primary and elevations of churches. The majority of the treated monuments came after Ciampinis opinion from the time of Constantine, but are among the pieces also works ascribed to the High Middle Ages. Nevertheless, the work had a great impact, yet 1747 brought the publisher Carlo Giannini a new edition out. In another work, he devoted himself to the held of him for Constantinian church buildings. The interpretation of the equipment he was referring to the data often distorted by a Counter-Reformation interpretation way descriptions. In addition to its focus on history and art, archeology Ciampini also dealt with theology and the natural sciences. In 1671 he founded the Academy in Rome for Church History ( Accademia Ecclesiastica ), in 1679 a further Academy of Sciences in Rome ( Accademia di fisica e Meccanica ), which was under the patronage of Christina of Sweden. In 1691, he became member of the Academy of the Arcadia. He was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Damaso.

The city of Ciampino evolved from an estate Ciampinis and thereby received its name.

Publications

• Vetera Monimenta: In quibus praecipuè Musiva Opera Sacrarum, Profanarumque Aedium Structura, Ac nonnulli antiqui rite Dißertationibus, Iconibusque illustrantur. 2 volumes, Rome from 1690 to 1699 (full text).
• De Sacris Ædificiis A Constantino Magno Constructis. Synopsis Historica. Rome 1693 (full text).