The Upset Awareness: Reflections on East–West Relations from Classical Antiquity to the Early Modern Era

Stefano U. Baldassarri

Originally conceived as an introduction to a recent volume of conference proceedings, this article relies on the papers presented on that occasion to develop (in an English and revised version) a series of reflections on East-West relations from classical antiquity to the XVIII century, mostly focusing on the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Within this discourse, Italy plays a central role, because of both commercial and religious reasons. No less important are those political texts that draw comparisons between various forms of government in Europe and the Far East. The essay thus cites passages from works by authors and sources as diverse as Marco Polo, Francesco Patrizi, Giovanni Botero, and the most famous missionaries who served in India, China, and Japan between the XVI and the XVIII centuries. 

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