Torelli completed his laurea degree at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" in November 1960, writing a thesis on the site of Falerii Veteres.
He was appointed a professor of Greek and Roman art history at the University of Cagliari in 1969, and served in that position until 1973.
His position was supplemented with appointments that included the areas of Magna Graecia (1995-2000) and Etruscan and Italic Archaeology (from 2000).
In 2013 Torelli received an honorary doctoral degree honoris causa from the Universidad de Jaén.
[12] Giorgio Napolitano, then president of the Republic of Italy, presented Torelli with the award in Rome on November 20, 2014.