Languages of the Roman Empire

[Lothia]

Ave Civitas,

Vortigern Studies posed a thought to me just now.

The language of the Empire.

I will pose a few factoids 8) (things I think are facts, but may not be)

By the later Empire (AD 336):

a. Latin was the court language in Rome.
b. Latin was the court language in Constantinople
c. Greek was the common trade language along the eastern Mediterranean coast.
d. Greek was the language spoken in Constantinople by Joe, the Ragman, average citizen.
e. In other cities, the official government language was Latin if:

e - 1. you were west of the Diocese of Illyricum
e - 2. But by then, you would encounter an increase in Greek in the lower administrative positions if you were east of Raetia and Italia

f. Languages in the west would be:
(Variations in the dialects of the Celtic language -Celt-Iberian, Gallic Celt, Briton, and various dialects of the German - Saxon, Quadi, and Punic, (I don't know if the Mauri spoke Punic or their own language. Etc, etc).

g. East of the Diocese of Illyricum, in the lower courts you would also encounter the native language of the populace (Illyrican, Thracian, Aramaic, Arabic, Coptic)

Do I have my factoids right? :?

Thanks again.

Me.

[Jona Lendering]

I think there's a case to be made for Greek as (almost) dominant language in the city of Rome as well. E.g., the Talmud always calls the city "Italian Greece".

For the language of Germania Inferior, go here.

[Robert Vermaat]

Do I have my factoids right? :?

From what I know so far, yes, but there would be a large amount of spoken Latin between the various groups. Spanish and French did not develop into the dominant languages for nothing. But within these groups I think you are right.

[Susanna]

Greek was also court language, the language of art and often science. :wink: