Portal:Classical Latin literature

Classical Latin literature
Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BCE to the 3rd century CE, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later periods, it was regarded as good or proper Latin, with later versions viewed as debased, degenerate, or corrupted. Modern Latin textbooks almost exclusively teach Classical Latin.

This section only includes English translations of Latin texts, and works written in English. For texts in Latin, see Latin Wikisource.

Latin literature

Wikisource hosts copies of the following general works on Latin literature:

Literature collections

Old book bindings

Wikisource hosts the following collections of Latin literature:

Child portal: Appendix Vergiliana (works spuriously ascribed to Virgil)

Latin histories

Great Fire of Rome.

Roman historiography built upon the Greek model, but with an agenda of persuasive and moral narrative.

Related portal: Ancient Rome

Caesar's Commentaries

Bust of Julius Caesar.

The Commentaries of Julius Caesar were written and published annually, as a sort of "dispatches from the front". They were important in shaping Caesar's public image when he was away from Rome for long periods. The authorship of three of the commentaries has been questioned.

Cicero's writings

Bust of Cicero.

Marcus Tullius Cicero is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists. His style influenced the Latin language for nearly two millenia.

Latin correspondence

Latin poetry

Bust of Virgil.

Child portal: Appendix Vergiliana (poetry spuriously ascribed to Virgil)

Related portal: Ancient poetry

Latin drama

Roman theatrical mask.

By the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, drama had become firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers had formed.

Latin philosophy

Ancient philosophy included natural philosophy, which has since become the separate field of natural science.

Latin essays and dialogues

Other Latin writings

External resources

See also

Parent portal

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