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About the Course
Explore ancient Roman history and culture as you learn to read and analyze Latin literature. In AP Latin, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of this long-lived language from which all the modern Romance languages (such as French, Spanish, and Italian) arose, while translating passages from the writings of Vergil and Caesar and examining them through class discussions, debates, and presentations.
Skills You'll Learn
Reading and understanding Latin poetry and prose
Translating Latin texts into English
Relating Latin texts to the history, culture, and literary movements of ancient Rome
Analyzing linguistic and literary features of Latin texts
Developing an argument that analyzes Latin poetry and/or prose
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College Course Equivalent
An upper-intermediate level (typically fourth- or fifth-semester) college or university Latin course
Recommended Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites, but students are typically in their fourth year of high-school-level study.
Exam Date
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Unit 1: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 1
You’ll read passages of the Aeneid that introduce Vergil’s portrayal of leadership and the role of the gods and other peoples in the trials of the Trojans.
You’ll focus on:
- Reviewing and building your Latin vocabulary
- Reviewing and solidifying your knowledge of syntax
- Reviewing and practicing the terminology used to identify grammatical forms and syntactic structure
- Beginning to explore contextualization, analytical, and argumentative skills
Unit 2: Caesar, Gallic War, Books 1 and 6
You’ll read passages of the Gallic War that introduce Caesar’s subtle portrayal of non-Romans in contrast to his native representation of Roman values.
You’ll focus on:
- Continuing to build on your Latin vocabulary
- Explaining the meaning of Latin words and phrases in context
- Understanding Latin morphology when translating Latin texts into English
- Articulating a defensible claim or thesis
Unit 3: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 2
You’ll return to Vergil with Aeneas’s account of the fall of Troy and explore the author’s portrayal of the seen and unseen forces in the characters’ lives and deaths.
You’ll focus on:
- Using the correct terms to identify grammatical forms and syntactic structures
- Scanning dactylic hexameter in Latin poetry
- Reading and comprehending sight passages in poetry
- Articulating and supporting an argument using relevant evidence from Latin texts and readings in English
Unit 4: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 4
You’ll read about the Romans’ first invasion of Britain as you explore themes of leadership and of war and empire in the readings.
You’ll focus on:
- Identifying linguistic and artistic qualities in Latin prose
- Identifying stylistic features in Latin prose
- Understanding differences between Latin and English usage
- Reading and comprehending sight passages in prose
- Using accurate, specific, and relevant references to the Latin texts to support an articulated argument
Unit 5: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 4
You’ll return to Vergil and the love affair of Queen Dido and Aeneas as you explore the views of non-Romans shown in the readings and how those views illustrate Roman values.
You’ll focus on:
- Identifying linguistic and artistic qualities in Latin poetry
- Identifying stylistic features in Latin poetry
- Analyzing the effects of language usage and stylistic features in Latin texts
- Using accurate, specific, and relevant references to the Latin to support an articulated argument
Unit 6: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 5, Part I
You’ll study the first half of the readings from Book 5 as you explore the themes of history and memory as portrayed in Caesar’s literary genre and style.
You’ll focus on:
- Analyzing the effects of language usage and stylistic features in the texts
- Using reasoning to draw conclusions and make inferences based on textual features
- Using contextual knowledge and references to support your analysis in an essay
Unit 7: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 5, Part II, Book 6, and Book 7
You’ll continue with the second half of the reading from Book 5 of Caesar’s Gallic War and explore the theme of leadership in war.
You’ll focus on:
- Identifying references to Roman culture, history, and mythology in Latin texts
- Analyzing Latin texts based on knowledge of products, practices, and perspectives of Roman culture
Unit 8: Vergil, Aeneid, Books 6, 8, and 12
You’ll return to Vergil and explore the themes of literary genre and style and of human beings and the gods in the readings.
You’ll focus on:
- Identifying references to Roman culture, history, and mythology in Latin texts
- Analyzing Latin texts based on knowledge of products, practices, and perspectives of Roman culture
Credit and Placement
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Course Resources
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