1. Introduction to Rome’s History and Early Geography
Latin: The Beginning…
Introduction to Rome’s History and Early Geography

2. A Brief History of Latin!
Rome: according to legend, was founded in 753 BC
Latium---an area of central Italy where Rome is located
“Latin”---the name of the language spoken there
5 modern Romance languages come from Latin: Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian
English: 60% of English words come from Latin!

4. Geography
Geography
Rome was built on 7 rolling hills on the Tiber River
Near midpoint of Mediterranean Sea

6. Early Legends Origins of Rome
Legend says that twins Romulus and Remus were abandoned on the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf
The twins were the sons of the war-god Mars
Romulus kills Remus & city of Rome is named after Romulus

7. Early History The First Romans
Three groups settled on Italian Peninsula from B.C.
I. The Latins
Built original settlement of wooden huts
Considered to be the first Romans
Helped spread Latin-derived languages to the area

8. Geography & Early Republic
II. The Greeks
Settled in Southern Italy and Sicily
Brought all of Italy, including Rome, into contact with the Greek civilization
3. Brought architecture, democracy, and philosophy

9. Geography & Early Republic
III. The Etruscans
Skilled metal workers native to northern Italy
Gave Romans the arch and gladiator battles

10. ALPS MTS. Gaul APENNINE MTS. Etruria Corsica Latium x Brundisium
<--- Tiber River
Adriatic Sea
Rome x
Corsica
Ostia x
Latium
Naples x
x Brundisium
Tyrrhennian Sea
Pompeii x
Sardinia
Mediterranean Sea
Sicily
Carthage x
Africa

12. Roman alphabet for Latin
The Romans used just 23 letters to write Latin:
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T V X Y Z
K, Y, Z were used for Greek loan words
W is literally “double-u” (V)
Lower case letters weren’t invented until the middle ages.
Latin is the only ancient language you can learn without learning a new alphabet (cf. Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, etc.)

13. ROMANSWROTEINALLCAPS LIKETHISNOSPACES TOTALLYCOOLHUHANDNO REALPUNCTUATIONLIKEWE USETODAYPEOPLEASK HOW COULDTHEYREADLIKE THATWELLSCHOLARSTHINK MOSTROMANSREADALOUD NOTSILENTLYANDBESIDES YOUAREREADINGTHIS ABSOLUTELYFINESODONTGO KNOCKINGTHEIRSTYLEOK 

14. Pronunciation Consonants
Most consonants in Latin are pronounced just like they are in English.
There are no “soft” consonants. C is always hard like “cat”, G is always hard like “go,” T is always hard like in “ten” (not “motion”).
I is used as a consonant at the beginning of a word or between vowels. It sounds like “y” in “year.” (Iulius)
The letter V is pronounced like “w”. There is no “w” in Latin. U and V were originally written the same: “V” as in AVGVSTVS .
Modern textbooks, however, will use “u” for a vowel sound and “v” for a consonant sound.
Think about it: W is “double-u”: VV 

15. Pronunciation
Vowels
Each vowel has only 2 pronunciations at most, a long and a short.
LONG SHORT
ā : as in father a: as in aha (first “a”)
ē: as in they e: as in let
ī: as in police i: as in sit
ō: as in note o: as in for
ū: as in rule u: as in full

16. Pronunciation Diphthongs Two vowels making one sound.
ae: like “ai” in aisle
au: like “ou” in out
oe: like oi in oil
ei: like ei in freight
eu: like eh-hoo (pronounced quickly)
ui: like oo-ee (pronounced quickly)---rare usage

17. Pronunciation Practice
ā, a ē, e ī, i ō,o ū, u
Mārs mē hīc nōn iūs
pār pēs vīs prō cūr
nārrat ex mīlitis mōns lūx
ab sed in rogō nunc
dat per quid post currū

18. Felix natalis tibi,
Felix natalis tibi!
Felix natalis, care amice/
Felix natalis, cara amica