{"id":10126,"date":"2023-11-27T22:50:15","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T21:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=10126"},"modified":"2023-11-27T22:50:15","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T21:50:15","slug":"what-was-language-like-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/what-was-language-like-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"What Was Language Like In Ancient Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Communication in Ancient Rome<\/h2>\n

The Roman Empire of antiquity offers a unique glimpse into the past and a rich legacy from which future societies have drawn inspiration. Of course, the language of ancient Rome was a critical part of the culture and served to communicate ideas, beliefs, and values to its citizens and those living beyond its borders. For thousands of years, Latin has been viewed as the language of the classical past and its status has not diminished even today.<\/p>\n

In the early Republic and Imperial era, the main language of Rome was largely Latin, which was spoken throughout the Mediterranean. It was the lingua franca of the Roman Empire and would later be adopted by other nearby cultures and languages, establishing itself as the mother tongue of Romance languages, including Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Latin was used for official documentation and inscribed on monuments. Religion in particular found it to be of importance, as many religious texts and traditions were written in Latin. In addition, there were several ancient dialects such as Sabellic that were popular in Latium, Oscan in Southern Italy, Etruscan in the North, and Umbrian along the eastern coast.<\/p>\n

The ancient Romans famously had a knack for law, and Latin was the primary language underpinning legal codes and government processes. Latin terms and phrases such as “tabula rasa,” “dictum meum pactum,” “bona fide,” and “pro bono,” are still used today. The repertoire of Latin words continued to expand until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century and the Latin tradition has had a lasting impact on Western civilization since its collapse.<\/p>\n

In addition to the spoken language, Latin was also used as a form of written communication. Latin inscriptions were a common sight throughout the ancient Roman Empire and the language was used to convey messages, laws, religious beliefs and historical records. Latin graffiti and letters known to us as Vindolanda tablets have been discovered. These bits of information have helped to provide a comprehensive understanding of the different branches of knowledge collected by the Romans. Scrolling through these ancient records is a rewarding journey through time, giving us a glimpse into the world of the past.<\/p>\n