If you want to understand a culture, you need to understand its language. Latin was spoken by Romans drinking in the tavern, watching games in the arena, or debating politics in the senate house. It is the language of graffiti scrawled on walls in Pompeii, ribald love poetry, heroic epics, and blistering courtroom speeches. In the centuries after the demise of the Roman Empire, Latin retained a central place as the language of European history, law, oratory, and science. At ANU, you will laugh, cry, cheer, and debate your way through Latin!
You will begin your Latin study with an introduction to the principles of language before moving on to detailed study of a wide variety of genres and authors from the Roman Republic to Late Antiquity. These will include writers,such as the orator Cicero, the Stoic philosopher Seneca the Younger, the Christian martyr Perpetua and the pilgrim Egeria, and a variety of texts and genres, from plays and poetry to histories and biographies. You will engage in close textual analysis and explore the literary, historical and cultural contexts in which Roman authors wrote. You will also explore the many different contexts in which Latin was used, from graffiti to funerary inscriptions.
Proficiency in Latin is highly recommended if you wish to specialise in the study of Greece and Rome, medieval and early modern history, law, rhetoric, philosophy, and archaeology. Studying Latin will enrich your understanding of the English language and other European languages which evolved from Latin, such as French, Italian, and Spanish.
This Advanced Latin minor is intended for students who have completed some Latin before coming to ANU. If you have completed Year 12 Latin, then you should complete LATN3125: Advanced Latin four times. If you have significant prior Latin study, but have not completed Year 12 Latin, then you should start with LATN2121: Intermediate Latin, and complete LATN3125: Advanced Latin three times. Please consult the convenor about the best level if you are unsure.
Learning Outcomes
- acquire and extend a knowledge of Latin vocabulary and grammar with the aid of textbooks, dictionaries, grammars, and commentaries;
- develop skills in reading Latin at sight and with the aid of resources, beginning with the study of simplified texts and moving on to a detailed examination of original literature from the Graeco-Roman world;
- demonstrate an understanding of different Latin literary genres (e.g. poetry, histories, letters) and the conventions of different media (e.g. graffiti, inscriptions); and
- think critically about Latin texts and genres in their historical, cultural, and literary contexts.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:
6 units from completion of the following course:
LATN2121- Intermediate Latin (6 units)
A minimum of 18 units and a maximum of 24 units from completion of courses from the following list:
LATN3125- Advanced Latin (6 units) [may be taken multiple times, with a different topic in each instance]
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