Latin Literature By Era

Intro

The body of Latin Literature is a vast library. Not only does it have a great number of influential works, its works are also spread throughout time. As we demonstrated before, Latin has a lot of staying power for a “dead language”. 

But when have all of these works been written? Which works belong to which era? And what should we read from the corpus? 

We can divide the literature into roughly four eras. In sum, the bulk of Latin literature started during the Roman Republic (of course) in the Classical era. It would continue during the Patristic Era of the Christian Church, throughout the Middle Ages, and end with the Early Modern era. 

Below are overviews of the four eras of Latin literature, presented with their historical context. At the end of each section is a quick list of Notable Authors and Works that you should know. 

Cicero Denounces Catiline by Cesare Maccari

Patristic 

Saint Jerome in His Study by Domenico Ghirlandaio

Overlapping with both the end of the Classical Period and the beginning of the early Medieval period in secular history is the Patristic Era in Church History, starting in roughly 100 AD. Some consider the end to be in 475 AD, others in 750 AD, which is not long after the Church Father St. John Damascene died. 

The era is named after The Church Fathers, the great leaders in the Early Church. They developed doctrine and defended the faith. Their work left a great impact on the faith for years to come. 

Notable Authors and Works

• St. Jerome (342 - 420 AD) – The Latin Vulgate. St. Jerome is most known for giving The Bible a standardized translation into Latin. Throughout the ages, the Western Church has used some version of his translation. Even today, you can still find quotations from The Vulgate as well as new and revised editions of it. 

• St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430 AD) – Confessions, The City of God. St. Augustine once pursued wisdom as well as a party life. He would later end up putting down his revelry and fulfill his thirst for the truth by embracing the Christian Faith. His Confessions serve as a reflective biography, whereas City of God is his major apologetic work against pagan accusations of the faith. He is remembered as one of the most well known theologians. 

• St. Bede the Venerable (673 - 735 AD) – An Ecclesiastical History of the English People. St. Bede is most well known as “The Father of English History” for this work. While it primarily serves as a history of the conversion of Britain, St. Bede also touches on theology and the culture and old customs of its denizens. 

Medieval 

St. Thomas Aquinas Writing the Hymn of the Holy Sacrament by Guercino

Most of the Latin texts preserved to this day came from Christian monks who were at work transcribing them. With Christianity becoming a dominant, international force in Europe, the Latin they preserved had spread as a second language for many. They used Latin in liturgy, as well as taught reading and writing in Latin within the monasteries. As the result of becoming widespread with Christianity, Latin became the common language for writing all throughout Europe. 

The Middle Ages (roughly 476 - 1500 AD) also had new literature to add next to the preserved works. You can find both ecclesiastical works and secular works from here. 

As an aside, what we know today as Ecclesiastical Latin comes from how Latin was spoken in the Middle Ages. The spelling and vocabulary stayed virtually the same, the only difference was a few changes in sounds. 

Notable Authors and Works

• St. Thomas Aquinas – Summa Theologiae, Summa Contra Gentiles. St. Thomas Aquinas, known as The Angelic Doctor, is one of the most influential theologians in the history of Christianity. In each Summa, he draws upon Sacred Scripture, Patristic Writings, and Aristotelian Philosophy. In his works, he synthesizes Faith and Reason. He also wrote different hymns in Latin, such as “Pange Lingua” and “O Salutaris Hostia”. 

• Carmina Burana. Carmina Burana is a well known secular collection of poems in this era. You’ll find a variety of bawdy and satirical poems from different places in Europe inside. Even if you have never read any of its contents, you should recognize its musical adaptation by Carl Orff– “O Fortuna” in particular. Incidentally, not all of the poems are written in Latin. Some are written in Middle High German. 

Early Modern

Portrait of Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger

After the end of the Middle Ages comes the Early Modern Era (ca. 1500-1800). This was a time with a great resurgence of interest in Ancient Greece and Rome. It was evident in both the Renaissance and the Humanist movement as well. Humanists in particular aimed to adopt a classical writing style. 

Latin still kept its power as an international language. It was the language of choice for scientists to share their works with each other in the scientific revolution as well. 

Notable Authors and Works

• Desiderius Erasmus – The Praise of Folly. Erasmus of Rotterdam was a Dutch Scholar and Theologian. He mastered both Greek and Latin. His work, The Praise of Folly, is his well renowned satirical work. On one hand, he features a character named Folly (Stultitia) and pokes fun at the world around him at the time in every aspect of life. On the other hand, he reaffirms a moral vision and brings wit and wisdom in his writing. 

• Sir Isaac Newton – Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. We would be remiss to leave Sir Isaac Newton out of this list after mentioning scientists writing in Latin! In his Mathematical Principles, Newton shares with us his three laws of motion. He also writes about his law of universal gravitation. This work originated from a tract of his about orbital motion. 

• Sir Thomas More – Utopia. An English Chancellor and a close friend of Erasmus, Sir Thomas More also wrote his own classic in Latin. The book explains the customs of the island Utopia with its achievements in peace and harmony. Utopia is open to a variety of interpretations. It is possible that its sheer contrast to English society at the time was meant to satirize the latter. Perhaps despite the list of ideas seemingly contrary to More’s faith, it may be in reality a defense for it. 

Conclusion

Hopefully now you have a general background in mind when you think or read about Latin literature. Maybe now you have some new texts you want to read. 

We have only touched the surface of the language’s library and only some of its most well known authors. There’s still other works out there as well, like a Jesuit book about Confucius or one of Plautus’ numerous plays. 

And if you want some help in reading anything we covered (or didn’t cover!), that’s what ALI is here for. We can help you whether  you are just getting started on learning Latin or feel ready to read The Aeneid.

Classical 

Naturally, the corpus of Latin Literature got its start while Latin was alive in the Classical Period (509 BC - AD 476). Contact with the Greeks around 133 BC spawned an interest in writing and art, in turn fostering language standardization. Thus, Classical Literature consists of works written when Rome was alive and well in power and in culture. 

In this era, you will find many familiar names and works. It is home to the earliest Latin texts in the Western Canon. One of the oldest written books in Latin is De Agri Cultura, by Cato the Elder (234 - 149 BC). 

Notable Authors and Works

• Virgil (70 BC- 21 BC) – The Aeneid. Of everything you could want to read for Latin Literature, this should be on your list. Virgil makes one of the few complete Epic poems in the Western Canon. He tells the story of Aeneas, the mythological founder of Rome, and his journey from escaping the siege of Troy to claiming a land in Italy as his home. 

• Ovid (43 BC - AD 17) – Metamorphoses, Ars Amatoria. Publius Ovidius Naso was an incredibly talented poet. Possibly his greatest work is Metamorphoses, which is a massive narrative poem that links different myths together with the common theme of change. We owe Ovid for preserving some of the myths lost to time through his work. In Ars Amatoria, Ovid expertly pokes fun at Roman love lives and customs. He allegedly had been banished for the immorality in this work, but it’s possible there was a different motive then. 

• Julius Caesar (100 BC - 44 BC) – Commentarii de Bello Gallico. We know Julius Gaius Caesar as the mighty emperor first and foremost, but he also left behind a record of his political struggles too. In Commentarii de Bello Gallico, he explains the customs of the Germanic tribes he conspired with as well as those whom he fought. 

• Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC) – Orations, On Friendship, On Old Age. A master orator and a great philosopher. Cicero wrote many speeches and letters on a variety of subjects, such as friendship or morality. His writing style became the main inspiration during the Early Modern Era when numerous works of his were found.