ABSTRACT
Whatever term we choose, the shared knowledge of classical antiquity is as much evident in the work of key players in the scientific networks as it is in music. Given the evidence of the fascination with antiquity within the Academia dei Lincei, as well as among artists and sculptors, I would like to suggest that at this period of instability (a Kuhnian paradigm shift) references to classical antiquity created a buttress of authority based on a shared knowledge structure passed down through humanist scholarly activity. Antiquity, whether viewed with nostalgia for a lost past, or as an authoritarian foundation for present practices, could serve multiple purposes, even legitimizing practices that might otherwise be deemed unacceptable (and possibly even creating a legitimate smokescreen for other activities).
