Did the Ancient Romans Speak Other Languages?

The ancient city of Rome was no longer a monolingual hub. Instead, it evolved into a cosmopolitan center where many different languages were spoken, reflecting the diverse population and cultural influences within the vast Roman Empire.

Diversity of Languages in the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire encompassed hundreds of large and small ethnic groups and several hundred major and minor languages. Where one walked in Rome, one could overhear conversations in many languages, from the Vulgar Latin spoken by the masses to the classical Latin used by the elite.

The Dominant Languages

Latin was the dominant language in the Western provinces. It was from this language that several Romance languages developed, each influenced by the indigenous languages of its region:

French from the Gauls Spanish and Portuguese from the Iberians Italian from ordinary Romans

In the Eastern provinces, Greek was the primary spoken language, spoken by both Romans and non-Romans although with varying degrees of fluency. The local languages, such as Aramaic, were also spoken in significant parts of the empire.

Extent of Latin and Greek

Latin was the official language in the western provinces, while Greek was spoken in the eastern territories, even extending to as far as Illyria, Libya, and Sicily. Southern Italy, known as Magna Graecia, still used Greek in addition to Latin. A myriad of dialects and regional languages existed throughout the Italian peninsula, such as Etruscan, Tuscany, Siculi, Oscan, and Campanian.

These regional languages did not have the status of classical Latin and were used mainly by the locals and within family homes. By the 3rd century CE, most of these languages had gone extinct due to decreased usage and influence from Vulgar Latin.

Local Languages in Conquered Regions

In the conquered parts of the empire, the local languages were used extensively. For instance, in Gaul, Celtic and Gallic languages were prevalent, while in North Africa, Berber and Punic languages were spoken. These languages eventually merged with Vulgar Latin, leaving a lasting impact on the language and culture of the areas.

Conclusion

The diversity of languages in the Roman Empire was vast and reflects the cosmopolitan nature of ancient Rome. While classical Latin was the language of the educated elite, Vulgar Latin, Greek, and numerous local languages were the daily speech of the common people. This linguistic diversity is a testament to the transformative power of the Roman Empire, influencing the languages and cultures of Europe and beyond.