Now endorsed by OCR and Eduqas, this popular Latin course for students aged 11–16 is breathing new life into Latin teaching and learning.
de Romanis is a vibrant and accessible introduction to both the Latin language and the cultural world of the Romans. Throughout the course, students gradually build their proficiency in Latin while exploring cultural topics through background notes, primary sources and engaging stories.
This new edition of Book 1 has been revised throughout based on teacher feedback. Chapter introductions and core language sections are more accessible; you will find new boxes to offer opportunities for quick practice and enhance literacy through derivation skills; new primary sources expand your experience of the material world; revised stories support understanding of the darker side of Roman history.
What makes de Romanis so special?
- Language learning is split between Core and Additional to ensure effective differentiation and flexible timetabling. - Fun and varied exercises include word identification, word manipulation and source analysis to encourage wider discussion. - Two-way translation exercises, derivation tasks and grammar explanations develop key literacy skills, promoting the understanding of English as well as Latin. - Vocabulary is consistently consolidated, and the clear and systematic explanations of grammar encourage steady progress to GCSE and beyond.
- Early introduction of Latin stories rather than isolated sentences builds student confidence from the start. - The course is supported by over 300 additional online resources to support your teaching.
In Book 1, students meet the gods and heroes of the Roman world, introduced through stories from the very beginning, so that they can immediately read passages of Latin. From myths about the gods to stories about religious customs and festivals, this is the perfect way to learn about the religious framework of Roman daily life. The final chapter on prophecy, including stories of historical figures such as Caesar interpreting messages from the gods, prepares for the transition in Book 2 to the world of Roman men and women.
A Companion Website is available at https://bloomsbury.pub/de-romanis.
By:
Katharine Radice (University of Cambridge UK),
Dr Sonya Kirk (Chesterton Community College,
UK),
Angela Cheetham (Classics Teacher,
Bedford Modern School,
UK),
George Lord (Independent Scholar,
UK)
Imprint: Bloomsbury
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 2nd edition
Dimensions:
Height: 268mm,
Width: 210mm,
Spine: 18mm
Weight: 847g
ISBN: 9781350531598
ISBN 10: 1350531596
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 June 2025
Audience:
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
,
College/higher education
,
Children's (6-12)
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface Introduction to the Romans Chapter 1: The Olympian Gods Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - Saturn eats his children; Vulcan punishes Venus; Minerva’s birth; Mars terrifies the humans Additional Language Chapter 2: Roman Heroes Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - Aeneas travels from Troy to Italy; Horatius fights bravely at the bridge; Cloelia swims to safety Additional Language Chapter 3: Roman Gods Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - Aeneas, Vesta and the Penates; Romulus is turned into the god Quirinus; An unlucky gateway; The sacred geese Additional Language Chapter 4: Favour and Punishment Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - Evander meets the hero Hercules and together they build the Ara Maxima; Cerberus, the guard dog for the Underworld; The Romans offer a huge sacrifice to the gods; Augustus builds many temples Additional Language Chapter 5: Festivals, Games and Shows Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - The theft of the Sabine women; The Ludi Romani; Spartacus; Violence at a gladiator show; Death of a charioteer Additional Language Chapter 6: Prophecy Introduction and Sources to Study Core Language including the following Latin stories - Tarquin and the Sibylline Books; Jupiter tells the future glory of the Roman race; A frightening prophecy; Marius and the sleeping chicks; Caesar ignores two warnings from the gods Additional Language Bibliography Grammar Reference Glossary of Names Vocabulary List (Latin to English and English to Latin)
Katharine Radice teaches Classics at the Stephen Perse Foundation, UK. She is a regular speaker at Classics conferences on the methodology of effective Latin teaching. She is an experienced examiner and has co-authored recent A Level editions of Ovid (Bloomsbury Academic, 2011), Cicero (Bloomsbury Academic, 2013), Tacitus (Bloomsbury Academic, 2016) and Nepos and Tacitus (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025). Angela Cheetham teaches Classics at the Stephen Perse Foundation, UK. Sonya Kirk teaches Classics at the Stephen Perse Foundation, UK. George Lord is an Independent Scholar, UK.
