JOHN HUNT
Hunt (Ph. D., Ohio State University, 2009) specializes in the social and cultural history of Renaissance Italy, with a particular focus on popular culture in Papal Rome. He has written several articles on diverse topics that include the role of public opinion on the conclave and papal election; rumors and the pope’s death; and carriages and violence. He currently is revising his manuscript, “Violence and the Vacant See in Early Modern Rome,” for publication in late 2015. Future projects will focus on the culture of gambling in Papal Rome. He is an assistant professor at Utah Valley University.
According to Hunt, Romans gambled on everything—from papal elections and the promotion of cardinals to the outcome of tennis matches and card games. His project focuses on the “culture of gambling” in Renaissance Rome, starting by continuing work on an article about gambling on papal elections. From there, he will examine the role of gambling in the cultural life of Papal Rome. Despite the fulminations of preachers and the bulls of stern popes, Romans of all ranks gleefully played cards, diced, and wagered on papal elections. While in residency, he plans to examine several Italian-language treatises from the 1500s and 1600s.
Hunt’s Colloquium talk, “Betting on the Triple Crown: Wagering on Papal Elections in Renaissance Rome,” is scheduled for April 15, 2015, at 3 PM.
