Classical language

Classical language is in European culture the generic term for both common in the Roman Empire administrative languages ​​Ancient Greek and Latin. These languages ​​were understood by all citizens of the Roman Empire and were used for communication and effective management of the various provinces with their respective regional languages. As "Classical Latin " for this for the Latin from the late period of the Roman Republic to the consulate of Caesar, so strictly speaking that " classical languages ​​" only the two administrative languages ​​of the Roman Empire can be seen in the development stage at this time. Authors from this period, such as Cicero, but sometimes even Seneca are therefore also referred to as "classical authors ".

With the fall of the Roman Empire they would have without the Christianization of Rome probably lost its importance and had been replaced by Italian, Greek, etc. means. Since the Vulgate was declared as binding version of the Bible by Council decision, Latin skills were essential for theological disputes. The Roman Catholic Church as well as the offices of the Frankish emperor and later the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation used Latin as its administrative and legal language. In addition, it was slang in the monasteries, which meant that Latin lingua franca of science was what went on at the universities will be created later.

In theological circles Greek was of comparatively secondary importance. Only with the humanism and the Renaissance interest in Greek literature was re- awakened. Latin and Greek knowledge was also a central part of the study reform of Philipp Melanchthon. This eventually led tradition continues in the idea of ​​the German grammar school, which was developed in Prussia by Wilhelm von Humboldt. The acquisition of the classical languages ​​was one of the primary targets, see also Humboldt cal ideal of education. Only after the cultural turn, which was accompanied by the student movement of 1968, lost the classical languages ​​in the German education system their meaning.