The following biographical note is excerpted from: Gherardo Gnoli, Paolo Daffinà 1929-2004, in Rivista degli Studi Orientali, 2004, New Series, Vol. 78, Fasc. 1/2 (2004), pp. 259–261.

Paolo Daffinà graduated in 1953 and was a scholarship recipient of the Indian Government from 1954 to 1956. His entire academic career took place at the Faculty of Humanities and Philosophy of Sapienza University of Rome:

• 1959: Appointed assistant professor
• 1965: Earned habilitation as a private lecturer
• 1967: Became associate professor
• 1973: Appointed full professor

He served as:

• Director of the Institute of Indian and East Asian Studies (1973–1982)
• Director of the Department of Oriental Studies (1982–1988)
• Editor-in-chief of Rivista degli Studi Orientali (1985–2004)

Academic Contributions

Paolo Daffinà was a scholar of exceptional humanistic and classical education. His deep knowledge of Greek and Latin sources formed the foundation of much of his research, from his book L’immigrazione dei Sakā nella Drangiana to numerous studies on history and historical geography.

His expertise extended beyond classical sources to Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan materials, thanks to his philological and linguistic training under Giuseppe Tucci and Luciano Petech. This training enabled him to be a comprehensive historian, capable of directly accessing and meticulously analyzing sources.

Among his most notable works:
📖 L’immigrazione dei Sakā nella Drangiana
📖 Il Nomadismo centrasiatico (1982)
📖 Commentary on Historia Mongalorum by Giovanni da Pian del Carpine (1989)

In his books, essays, and reviews, he challenged and corrected established theories in historical studies, even when proposed by leading scholars in the field.

Further Resources

📌 Bibliography: Available in the detailed information section, extracted from Eurasica: Scritti scelti, edited by Patrizia Cannata (Rome, Scienze e Lettere, 2017).

📎 Attached: Analytical topographical register of the Daffinà Collection.