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Podcast: Latin from Zero 1 Trajan's Column · Latin from Zero: By Digital Monastery

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Latin from Zero, a podcast from Digital Monastery.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: In each episode,
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  SPEAKER_01: we explore a real Latin text, breaking it down into clear, understandable pieces.
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  SPEAKER_01: Whether you're a beginner or brushing up on Latin after a long break, you're in the right place.
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  SPEAKER_01: You can find additional resources,
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  SPEAKER_01: notes, and related articles at digitalmonastery.substack.com Let's get started.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: Trajan's Column Inscription English Translation The Senate and people
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  SPEAKER_01: of Rome dedicate this to Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus,
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  SPEAKER_01: son of the divine Nerva,
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  SPEAKER_01: conqueror of Germany and Dacia,
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  SPEAKER_01: chief priest,
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  SPEAKER_01: holder of tribunician power for the seventeenth time,
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  SPEAKER_01: acclaimed imperator six times,
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  SPEAKER_01: consul six times,
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  SPEAKER_01: and father of the country,
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  SPEAKER_01: to show how great was the height of the hill and ground that were removed
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  SPEAKER_01: to make possible such great works.
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  SPEAKER_00: Latin Text Senatus Populusque Romanus
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  SPEAKER_00: Imperatori Cesari Divi Nerve Figlio Nerve.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Traiano Augusto Germanico Dacico Pontifici.
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  SPEAKER_00: Maximo Tribunicia Potestate Septimum Decimum Imperatori Sextum Consuli Sextum Patri Patrie.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Ad Declarandum Quantae Altitudinis.
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  SPEAKER_01: Today's text is the dedication inscription from Trajan's column in Rome,
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  SPEAKER_01: one of the best-known monuments of the Roman Empire.
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  SPEAKER_01: Though only a few lines long,
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  SPEAKER_01: the inscription introduces us to the Roman Senate,
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  SPEAKER_01: Emperor Trajan,
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  SPEAKER_01: and the extraordinary engineering project that transformed part of
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  SPEAKER_01: the city's landscape.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: Let's take a closer look at the Latin and discover what it tells us.
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  SPEAKER_01: Senatus Populusque Romanus.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: The Senate and People of Rome.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: Senatus means the Senate.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the nominative case, the case normally used for the subject of a sentence.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: Here it refers to the governing Senate of Rome.
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  SPEAKER_01: Populusque means and the people.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: Populus means people and che means and.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a conjunction attached to the end of a word.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together they refer to the people of Rome and join them to the Senate.
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  SPEAKER_01: Romanus means Roman.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is an adjective that describes both senatus and populus.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: The phrase Senatus Populusque Romanus means the Senate and people of Rome.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: It is often shortened to SPQR and was used as an official symbol of the Roman state.
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  SPEAKER_01: Line 2.
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  SPEAKER_01: I. M. P. Cesare di Vinerve.
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  SPEAKER_01: F. Nerve.
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  SPEAKER_01: To Emperor Caesar, son of the Divine Nerva.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: I-M-P is an abbreviation of Imperatori and means to the emperor.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the dative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: The dative case is often used for the person who receives something.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: Here it shows who the inscription is dedicated to.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: Cesari means to Caesar.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the dative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it further identifies the emperor being honored.
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  SPEAKER_01: Divi Means of the divine one or of the deified one.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is an adjective used like a noun.
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  SPEAKER_01: The genitive case often shows possession or relationship.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it describes Nerva as having been declared divine after his death.
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  SPEAKER_01: Nerve Means of Nerva It is a proper noun in the genitive case.
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  SPEAKER_01: The genitive case often means of someone or something.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together with Divi It means of the Divine Nerva.
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  SPEAKER_01: F is an abbreviation of Filius and means son.
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  SPEAKER_01: It identifies Trajan as the son of Nerva by adoption.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: Nerve Means of Nerva.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is again in the genitive case.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it completes the phrase Son of Nerva.
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  SPEAKER_01: The phrase I-M-P Cesare di Vinerve F Nerve Line 3 Traiano A-U-G G-E-R-M
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  SPEAKER_01: Trajano
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  SPEAKER_01: means Tetrajan.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a proper noun in the dative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: The dative case is often used for the person who receives something.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it names the emperor to whom the dedication is made.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: AUG is an abbreviation of Augusto and means Augustus.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is an imperial title in the dative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it emphasizes Trajan's position as emperor.
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  SPEAKER_01: G-E-R-M is an abbreviation of Germanico and means Germanicus or Conqueror of Germany.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a title earned through military success.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it commemorates Trajan's victories associated with the German frontier.
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  SPEAKER_01: Dacico means Dacian or Conqueror of Dacia.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is another military title.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it commemorates Trajan's victories in the Dacian Wars.
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  SPEAKER_01: P-O-N-T-I-F is an abbreviation of Pontifici and means to the priest.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a title in the dative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: In the next line it is completed by Maximo to form Pontifex Maximus meaning chief priest.
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  SPEAKER_01: The phrase Traiano A-U-G G-E-R-M Dacico P-O-N-T-I-F.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: List several of Trajan's names and titles.
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  SPEAKER_01: They show his position as emperor, his military victories, and his religious authority.
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  SPEAKER_01: Line 4.
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  SPEAKER_01: Maximo.
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  SPEAKER_01: T-R-I-B.
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  SPEAKER_01: P-O-T. Roman numeral X-V-I-I.
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  SPEAKER_01: I-M-P. Roman numeral VI.
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  SPEAKER_01: C.O.S.
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  SPEAKER_01: Roman numeral V.I.
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  SPEAKER_01: P.P.
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  SPEAKER_01: Chief Priest,
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  SPEAKER_01: holder of tribunition power for the 17th time,
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  SPEAKER_01: acclaimed imperator six times, consul six times, father of the country.
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  SPEAKER_01: Maximo.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means greatest or highest.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is an adjective that completes the title.
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  SPEAKER_01: Pontifex Maximus.
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  SPEAKER_01: Meaning Chief Priest.
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  SPEAKER_01: Tribunicia Potestate is an abbreviation of Tribunicia and means tribunician.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is part of the title Tribunicia Potestate which refers to
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  SPEAKER_01: the powers traditionally held by Roman tribunes.
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  SPEAKER_01: Pot is an abbreviation of Potestate And means power or authority.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together with Tribunicia.
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  SPEAKER_01: It forms the title Tribunicia Potestate.
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  SPEAKER_01: Roman numeral X, VI, means 17.
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  SPEAKER_01: It shows that Trajan was holding tribunician power for the 17th time.
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  SPEAKER_01: IMP is an abbreviation of Imperator.
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  SPEAKER_01: It was an honorary title given to a successful military commander.
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  SPEAKER_01: Roman numeral VI means six.
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  SPEAKER_01: It shows that Trajan had received the title.
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  SPEAKER_01: Imperator.
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  SPEAKER_01: Six times.
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  SPEAKER_01: COS is an abbreviation of Consul and means Consul.
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  SPEAKER_01: A consul was one of the highest officials in Roman government.
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  SPEAKER_01: Roman numeral VI means six.
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  SPEAKER_01: It shows that Trajan had served as consul six times.
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  SPEAKER_01: P.P.
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  SPEAKER_01: is an abbreviation of Pater Patrie and means Father of the Country.
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  SPEAKER_01: It was an honorary title given to emperors who were viewed as guardians of the Roman state.
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  SPEAKER_01: The phrase, Maximo.
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  SPEAKER_01: T-R-I-B.
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  SPEAKER_01: P-O-T. Roman numeral X-V-I-I.
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  SPEAKER_01: I-M-P. Roman numeral VI.
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  SPEAKER_01: C-O-S. Roman numeral VI.
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  SPEAKER_01: P-P.
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  SPEAKER_01: Lists Trajan's religious titles, political offices, and military honors.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together they describe his authority and achievements as emperor.
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  SPEAKER_01: Line 5.
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  SPEAKER_01: To show how great the height was.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means for or for the purpose of.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a preposition that introduces the purpose of an action.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means showing, making clear, or demonstrating.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together with.
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  SPEAKER_01: It means for showing or to demonstrate.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means how great or how large.
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  SPEAKER_01: It describes the extent or size of something.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means height.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the genitive case.
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  SPEAKER_01: The genitive case often means of something, together with quantae.
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  SPEAKER_01: It means of how great a height.
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  SPEAKER_01: The phrase ad declarandum quantae altitudinis explains why the column was built.
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  SPEAKER_01: It tells the reader that the monument shows how high the original hill had been
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  SPEAKER_01: before it was cut away.
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  SPEAKER_01: Line 6
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  SPEAKER_01: The hill and site were removed by such great works.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means hill or mountain.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the nominative case, the case normally used for the subject of a sentence.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it refers to the hill that was removed during construction.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means and It is a conjunction that joins words together.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it connects Mons and Locus
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  SPEAKER_01: Locus means place, site, or location.
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  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun in the nominative case.
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it refers to the area around the hill that was changed by the building project.
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  SPEAKER_01: Tantis
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  SPEAKER_01: It is an adjective that describes
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  SPEAKER_01: and emphasizes the large scale of the work.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: Means works, projects, or construction works.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: It is a noun that refers to the massive engineering effort needed to build Trajan's Forum.
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  SPEAKER_01: Comes from the verb
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  SPEAKER_01: Here it helps form the statement describing what happened to
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  SPEAKER_01: the hill in sight.
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  SPEAKER_01: Means carried away, removed, or excavated.
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  SPEAKER_01: It describes the hill in sight after they had been cut away and removed.
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  SPEAKER_00: The phrase
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  SPEAKER_01: Completes the explanation begun in the previous line.
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  SPEAKER_01: Together,
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  SPEAKER_01: the final two lines say that the column was built to show how much of the hill
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  SPEAKER_01: and surrounding ground had been removed to make room for Trajan's Forum.