Inscriptions in Latin/Greek classrooms

[Andrew Reinhard]

As an archaeologist by training, I'm always looking for a way to sneak archaeological finds into Latin and Greek pedagogy. While paleography has been my bailiwick, I'm curious if other teachers are using Latin inscriptions from lintels, grave stelai, pottery and other material to demonstrate Latin/Greek in a very real, public context. If you have trouble finding this material, let me know and I'll post links.

[Ray K]

I'd say the Res Gestae, but I'm guessing that's not really what you're after. I've run into them in courses I've been in (History surveys and Epigraphy), but I use them infrequently in the courses I've taught.

I guess maybe it might be better to ask how you're using them. Are you talking about giving students transcriptions or copies of the actual inscriptions? I remember in one class we were working with squeezes of some Greek inscriptions and time had to be spent understanding just how to get translatable Greek from what we were looking at.

I have this vague recollection of looking at some stuff from Vindolana (or was it Vindonissa, honestly can't remember) and just saying, What the hell?

[Laura Gibbs]

I am a big fan of the Roman epitaphs - you can find a collection already digitized here at The Latin Library online: http://thelatinlibrary.com/epitaphs.html Also, a bit more specialized, and not ancient, but VERY intriguing: sundial inscriptions - lots of fun, some of them very enigmatic and riddling! http://www.sundials.co.uk/mottoesp.htm

P.S. I must have totally missed this discussion when it went up, but thanks to Ray's comment it popped up in the RSS feed again today... that's neat the way someone's new comment can make an old post spring back into life! :-)