The Romans believed they had a mission from the Gods; to conquer the world. As instructed, they set about to make themselves into efficient soldiers and to bring the Mediterranean world under Roman rule.

Wherever they went, they took with them their way of life and gave to their subjects a better life style and standard of living. They built roads which improved trade and allowed the spread of knowledge. They built towns and developed urban living. Water supplies were laid on as was drainage. They took with them their baths, schools, public organisation and legal system.

They also took with them their language.

Just as the English spoken in London is not exactly the same as the English spoken in Aberdeen, the Latin spoken in different parts of the Roman Empire developed variations, which time and distance exaggerated.

Nevertheless Latin was the common language and down through the years the Latin spoken in Italy became known as Italian, the Latin in Gaul, now France, became know as French, the Latin in Hispania, now Spain, became known as Spanish. Indeed Latin is the Mother Tongue of the Romance Languages.

Since Britain was occupied by the Romans for a longer time than the years between Queen Elizabeth the First and Queen Elizabeth the Second it should not come as a surprise that English too owes much to the Romans, both as a direct result of their occupation and as a result of the Norman invasion since they spoke French, the descendant of Latin.

This last unit is devoted to looking at some links between the two languages. Our English can be greatly enriched by the study of Latin.

While working on the exercises in this unit you may use both a Latin and an English dictionary