Reading Roman Letters in Translation

Romans were prolific letter writers. At this point, we are going to read a selection of letters translated into English to get an idea of the range and style involved in Roman letter writing.

Download

If you have not already, please download the Translated Collection of Roman Letters. This will be our main resource in gathering basic information about the structure, form and function of Roman letters. Be sure to contact your instructor for any additional help with the content.

Additionally, download the Roman Letter Writers English Reading Log, to assist in taking notes on the collection of letters.

Background Information

Romans wrote letters for many of the same reasons that modern people send communications (whether a letter, email or text message, etc.). They used letters to share important news with family members or to give (or ask for) advice. Some letters were written to inform - almost like a news bulletin.

So, how do we still have access to these letters, some of which were written over 2000 years ago? Famous Romans often kept copies of their letters, which they intended to publish. For instance, many letters written by Pliny the Younger and Cicero were written with the idea that they would be published - and so the content tends to be more polished and focused. However, not all letters were meant for publication: Pliny's letters to Trajan (and Trajan's responses) were intended to be a private correspondence: they were saved as imperial records and only published after both men had died.

Details on the Letters in Translation

The first set of letters that you will read were written by Pliny the Younger. Although Pliny wrote several books, he is most well known as an author for his letters. Their style suggests that they were written with the goal of ultimately being published (except for his correspondence with Trajan). The subject matter of these letters varies broadly: his most famous letters involve a description of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, but he also shares personal accounts and even has some letters that are written almost like a news bulletin. We will also read a set of letters sent between Pliny and Trajan, which gives us some insight into how the two interacted.

After Pliny's letters, there is a short selection of letters from Cicero. We will learn more about Cicero in the next section of the course, but these letters give us some early insight into his writing style. The letters tend to focus on personal information, but also deal with politics and current events. The set of letters you will read are all written to a man named Atticus, who was one of Cicero's life long friends.

When you are done reading the letters, be sure to reflect on the style and substance of these letters. What insights did you gain about the Romans from reading these letters?