Attilio Stella

Attilio Stella is a Temporary Assistant Professor in Medieval History at the Department of Culture and Civilizations, University of Verona. His academic sector is HIST-01/A - Medieval History, with research focusing on Ancient and Medieval History (SH6_8) and Social and Economic History (SH6_12). He teaches courses including Medieval History, Paleography and Archive Administration, and Audiovisual History.

Stella received his doctorate in Medieval History from the University of Trento in 2014. His research initially focused on rural lordship and peasant society, but has expanded to comparative analysis of political-institutional developments in High Medieval Europe, with particular attention to feudal law and the concept of feudalism. His work spans Western Europe, especially Italy, France, and England during the 11th-14th centuries.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on feudal law, particularly through studies of the Libri Feudorum (Books of Fiefs), examining the transition from local customs to common law across medieval Europe. His research employs comparative methodologies analyzing legal texts, social structures, and regional differences in England, France, and Northern Italy during the 12th-13th centuries. A recurring theme is the relationship between local communities, legal frameworks, and territorial formations in medieval Europe.

Stella currently serves as Principal Investigator for the MUR-funded project 'Communities and Custom in the Making of the European Legal Systems,' which conducts comparative analysis of local communities' function in constructing Western European territorial formations during the 12th-13th centuries. He previously participated in two prestigious EU-funded international projects: PIMIC (2013-2016) at Tel Aviv University and CLCLCL (2017-2021) at the University of St Andrews.

He is affiliated with the Medieval and Dantesque Studies Laboratory (LaMeDan) and serves on several academic committees including the Teaching Board of the Historical Studies Degree Program (Interuniversity Verona-Trento) and the Departmental Council of Culture and Civilizations.