Expertlatin
In most modern writing of Latin, long vowels are distinguished from short vowels by using macrons (e.g, āēīōū). As far as I know, however, ancient authors rarely, if ever, distinguished long vowels from short vowels in writing. Even texts as recent as the early 1900s don't include macronized vowels.
- Did Romans use vowels?
- Does Latin have long vowels?
- Did the Romans use Macrons?
- What writing system did the Romans use?
Did Romans use vowels?
The Roman alphabet has five basic vowels: a, e, i, o, u. In addition, there are five diphthongs: ae, au, eu, oe, ou. There are seventeen basic consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x.
Does Latin have long vowels?
There are two types of vowels in Latin: long and short. Forget everything you know about English long and short vowels. Long and short for Latin vowels simply means the length of time that the vowel is held for. A long Latin vowel is indicated by a macron, which is a line over the vowel, as in these: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū, ȳ.
Did the Romans use Macrons?
Many textbooks about Ancient Rome and Greece use the macron, even if it was not actually used at that time (an apex was used if vowel length was marked in Latin).
What writing system did the Romans use?
In ancient Roman times there were two main types of Latin script, capital letters and cursive. There were also varieties of writing that mixed capitals and cursive or semicursive letters; Latin uncial script developed from such a mixed form in the 3rd century ce.
