Scratch the surface, and you’ll find Latin at the root of how we communicate, from logic and science to medical and legal terminology and much of the English language itself. Although it’s no longer spoken as a native language, Latin is still very much alive in our culture.

Why study Latin at Sewanee?

Extinction doesn’t have to mean erasure. At Sewanee, you’ll get to explore this ancient language, the culture that built it, and how it continues to be relevant in our lives. Beyond the language itself, you’ll also study the Latin epic, love elegies, Roman satire, medieval Latin, poetry and prose from the Empire, and Roman philosophy.

A Sampling of Courses

Epigraphy Field School
Classics

The Epigraphy Field School, part of the Ancient Graffiti Project, aims to document and digitize ancient graffiti from Herculaneum and Pompeii. Students receive training in archaeological field methods as well as digital applications used to study ancient inscriptions. Fieldwork on site is enhanced by field trips to surrounding sites and guest lectures.

CLST 205
Caesar
Latin

This course examines Caesar's presentation of the Civil Wars, including famous events such as the crossing of the Rubicon, the Battles of Dyrrhacium and Pharsalus, and the death of Pompey. Attention is also given to how these events are depicted in passages from Suetonius' Life of Julius Caesar and Lucan's epic poem, Pharsalia. The course aims not only to improve reading comprehension of Latin literature, but also to evaluate major sources for this critical period of Roman—indeed, all Western—history.

LATN 300
The Roman Novel
Latin

This course examines the genre of prose fiction in Latin, with particular attention to the Satyricon of Petronius and the Metamorphoses (or "Golden Ass") of Apuleius.

LATN 310
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Latin

Programs of Study & Related Programs

Requirements for the Major & Minor in Latin

Requirements for the Major & Minor in Classical Languages | Website

Requirements for the Major & Minor in Greek | Website

Contact

Daniel Stephen Holmes
Associate Professor and Chair of Classical Languages

daholmes@sewanee.edu

Gailor Hall 20, Ext. 1520

The Ancient Graffiti Project
Saving the Scribbles

Feature: A Sewanee professor and her students are preserving first-century graffiti with 21st-century tools.

Read the Feature
European Studies
Ancient Greece & Rome or the Middle Ages & the Renaissance

European Studies is a full semester of study abroad and offers the unique experience of studying in a variety of locations in Europe. Students choose between two academic options: ancient Greece & Rome or Western Europe in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Learn More