Archive for December, 2010
Latin Learning Resources Posted by kunthra on Dec 30, 2010
A new year is will start soon and perhaps you’ve been thinking about mastering the Latin language as your New Year’s resolution. If so, then check out these books : Learn to read Latin by Andrew Keller and Stephanie Russell *Appropriate for beginner and intermediate students Pros : -very thorough grammar explanations. -contains lots of…
Ludi Posted by kunthra on Dec 28, 2010
Ludi refers to the mass games held to entertain the Roman public. There were many different kinds of ludi. For instance ludi compitalicii (crossroads games) were games held at the intersection of neighborhoods. These games were hosted by neighborhood communities and guilds, which involved members of the plebian class, slaves and freedmen. Other ludi included…
Of Revolts and Rebellions Posted by kunthra on Dec 27, 2010
Rome was an unrivaled power with a mighty military. Even so, there were certain groups and individuals who dared to revolt against the Ancient War Machine that was Rome. As its name suggests, the Third Jewish Revolt was the third major attempt at liberation from Roman control. When Emperor Hadrian learned that the Jews practiced…
Adeste Fideles Posted by kunthra on Dec 24, 2010
Depending on where you are in the world, Christmas is already here or just a few days away. In honor of Christmas, let’s look at the song “Adeste fideles”, which can be translated as “O come all ye faithful”. Here is Andrea Bocelli’s version of it : Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes (Oh come all ye…
Musical Scores in Latin Posted by kunthra on Dec 20, 2010
Nobuo Uematsu is a video game music composer. He’s best known for his music in the Final Fantasy games. His native language is Japanese, but he’s produced many scores in Latin. One of his masterpieces is called “Liberi Fatali” : It just goes to show that Latin is not quite dead. It’s still being used…
Ancient Roman Amphitheatres Posted by kunthra on Dec 16, 2010
Ancient Roman amphitheatres are not to be confused with ancient Roman theatres. Ancient Roman amphitheatres are oval, but ancient Roman theatres are semi-circular in shape. Also, amphitheatres were used for performances like gladiator fights and chariot races, while the theatres were used more for plays and musical performances. The Verona Amphitheatre is located in Verona…
Golden Age Poets Posted by kunthra on Dec 13, 2010
The Golden Age of Latin poetry is thought to have started around the time of Julius Caesar’s assassination and ended around Augustus’s death. The poetry produced in the Golden Age is typically of utmost excellence, and that is why most of the poetry studied in the school curriculum comes from the poetry of the Golden…