SASSETTI, Filippo. Florence 26/28.9.1540 — Goa 3.9.1588. Italian Traveller. Son of a wealthy merchant, Giambattista Sassetti, and Margherita dei Gordi. He studied at Pisa 1568-73 and thus knew Latin and Greek. In 1578 he went to Spain and Portugal and then 1583 to India as the agent of a Florentine…
ROCCA, Vittorio. Leghorn 1.10.1862 — 19??. Italian Indologist. Docent in Rome. Studies at Pisa. From 1905 libera docenza in sanscrito at Pisa, apparently soon moved to Rome, still there in 1934. A specialist of dharmaśāstra, but also a fascist. Publications: Sulla valore della parola “barbaro” in India, in Grecia, in…
RIBEZZO, Francesco. Francavilla Fontana near Brindisi 8.5.1875 — Lecce, Apulia 19.10.1952. Italian Archaeologist and Linguist (IE Scholar). Professor in Palermo. Educated in Lecce, studies at Naples (Kerbaker) and Leipzig, some time also under Trombetti at Bologna. Teacher in Benevento, Palermo, Cagliari and finally at R. Liceo Antonio Genovesi in Naples.…
TURRINI, Giuseppe. Avio nel Trentino (then Austrian) 5.4.1826 — Bologna 7.2.1899 (C.M. 24.1.). Italian Indologist. Professor in Bologna. Son of Ludovico Turrini and Cattarina Libera. Educated in Rovereto and Trento, began medical studies at Padova. Active in pro-Italian politics in the Austrian-ruled territory, in 1848 had to escape to Pisa,…
TUCCI, Giuseppe Vincenzo. Macerata 5.6.1894 — S. Polo de’ Cavalieri near Rome 5.4.1984. Italian Indologist, Sinologist and Tibetan Scholar. Professor in Rome. Born in a middle-class family, son of Oscar Tucci, an official, and Ermengilda Firmani. Learned Latin and Greek at school and privately some Sanskrit. Studied at Rome (originally Latin,…
TROVANELLI, Silvio. Bologna 18?? — Bologna before 1911. Italian Legal Scholar interested in Indology. Graduated 1883 Bologna (in Law). Worked as lawyer, also Docent of Juridical Philosophy (libera docente in Filosofia del diritto) at Bologna University. In his 1883 book he used translations, for the Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio, for the Raghuvaṁśa…
TROMBETTI, Alfredo. Bologna 6/16.1.1866 — Venice 5.7.1929. Italian Linguist, Polyglot and Orientalist. Of modest origin, son of the elder A. Trombetti and Viola Mingozzi, both textile workers, father died when he was 14. He learned goldsmith’s work, but when his talents were noted (he had learned on his own several…
TEZA, Emilio. Venice 14.9.1831 — Padua 28.3./30.4.1912. Italian Indologist. Professor in Pisa and Padua. Studies at Padua, then at Vienna Greek, Slavistics and Hungarian, also Sanskrit under Boller. Back in Italy worked as librarian in Marciana (Venice) and Laurenziana (Florence). In 1860-66 Professore di letterature moderne comparate at Bologna (taught…
TESSITORI, Luigi Pio. Udine 13.12.1887 — Bikaner 22.11.1919. Italian Indologist in India. Son of Guido Tessitori, a worker, and Luigia Rosa Venier Romano, educated in Udine. Studied Indology at Florence under Pavolini, graduated 1910 with a diss. on the Rāmcarit Mānas. On recommendation of Grierson he was employed by British…
TAGLIABUE, Camillo. Milano 1838 — Milano 16.10.1905 (when 67). Italian Missionary and Urdu Scholar. Worked as missionary in Hyderabad, Deccan, in 1864-78. From 1879 to his death Professor of Hindustani at I.U.O.N. in Naples, in 1892-97 also professore incaricato of English. His grammar is based on that of Platts. Publications:…