Classical Latin

Classical Latin is the high literary standard of the Latin language. It was used by writers during the late Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire.

This specific form of the language developed around 75 BC from Old Latin. By the 3rd century AD, it had evolved into what is known as Late Latin. Today, when people use the word "Latin," they almost always mean Classical Latin. Most modern textbooks focus on teaching this specific version to students.

This style served as a model for the language in later centuries across Europe.

Ancient Romans used several different names for their high-level speech. They called this refined style *Latinitas*, which translates to "Latinity." It was also known as *sermo urbanus*, or "speech of the city." Some even called it *sermo nobilis*, meaning "noble speech."

This was different from *sermo vulgaris*, or "Vulgar Latin," which was the common everyday speech. *Latinitas* was the language taught in schools and followed strict prescriptive rules. These rules were especially important for subjects like poetry and rhetoric. While it was very polished, it remained a spoken language with its own spontaneity.

The term "classical" has deep roots in Roman social and military history. The word *classicus* originally referred to the *prima classis*, or "first class." This was related to the Roman social classes based on property ownership. It also linked to the Greek word *klêsis*, used to rank army draftees.

In a literary sense, it described authors who were considered "select" or "approved." In the second century AD, the teacher Marcus Cornelius Fronto used the term *scriptores classici*. He used it to describe "reliable authors" whose works served as perfect models. This helped establish the idea of a literary canon.

Scholars have developed different ways to categorize the history of Latin. The German scholar Wilhelm Siegmund Teuffel created a famous system of ages.

He grouped authors into periods based on major political events. His work was later translated into English by Wilhelm Wagner in 1873. Another scholar, Charles Thomas Cruttwell, also studied these periods. Cruttwell focused more on the specific styles of writing rather than just history. He noted that as Latin became more accurate, it sometimes lost its natural spontaneity. This created a tension between a living language and a studied, dead one.

The most famous era is often called the Golden Age. According to Teuffel, this period lasted from 83 BC to AD 14. It began with the dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla and ended with the death of Augustus.

This era is divided into two important parts. The first is the Ciceronian Age, which lasted from 83 BC to 43 BC. It is named after the famous orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. The second part is the Augustan Age, which lasted from 43 BC to AD 14. Many believe this was the most brilliant time for Latin purity.

During the Golden Age, many great writers produced their most important works. For example, the writer Ennius was sometimes compared to the Greek poet Homer. The *Aeneid* was seen as the Latin equivalent of the *Iliad*.

These authors were part of a tradition where Romans compared their best writers to the Greeks. Roman grammarians even made lists called *indices* or *ordines* to organize these authors. These lists were modeled after Greek *pinakes*, which were lists of select writers. This helped create a standard for what made a work truly "classical."

The influence of Classical Latin has lasted for many centuries. During the Renaissance, there was a major revival of Roman culture. This led to the creation of Neo-Latin, a highly classicized form of the language.

In the 1700s, people used Latin dictionaries to translate English into "proper" Latin. Even the word "classical" entered the English language around 1599. Today, the study of these ancient texts helps us understand the foundations of Western literature and philology. It connects the political and social history of Rome to the way we study language today.