Just wondering if anyone knew how widely spoken these languages were in the Roman empire. I know Koine Greek was an official language of the Empire and very widely spoken especially in the eastern empire leading to the New Testament been written in it. But what about the rest? Also, was classical Greek only the language for the elite or did common people in Rome know it too?

Classical Greek was something like Latin or French today are: Languages of the educated people. Common people, except of Greek origin of course, did mostly not know Greek.

Adler

They might well have known koine Greek, though. For example, the Christian communities in the western empire, even in Rome, seem to have spoken Greek until perhaps the end of the second century AD - Greek was the language of Christianity, no matter where people came from; but most Christians were very lower class.

Of course, it depends very much on what time period you're talking about. The eastern fourth-century church fathers, such as the Cappadocian fathers or John Chrysostom, typically wrote in very educated classical Greek, while the western ones were gradually forgetting how to speak the language at all (Augustine never managed it).

Classical Greek was something like Latin or French today are: Languages of the educated people. Common people, except of Greek origin of course, did mostly not know Greek.

Adler

That's what I thought too. Thanks.

Of course, it depends very much on what time period you're talking about.

Well yes, that did cross my mind. However, I don't have a specific period in mind, just a general view of the Roman Empire. I suppose if anything the time when the empire was at its greatest extent. I.e. around 117 CE?

So it seems to be classical Greek for the very educated people and koine Greek for lower class, especially Christians, in the eastern part of the empire. Which is why it's not surprising that Greek was almost forgotten in the western empire and the church language became Latin with Vulgar Latin filling role of the common, every day language.

No, even the western Christians spoke koine Greek, at least for the first century or two. The first Christians to write in Latin were Tertullian and Minucius Felix, at the end of the second century; before then, some parts of the Bible seem to have been translated into Latin on a fairly ad hoc basis, but that's it. Even the Roman Christians spoke Greek.

I think the real linguistic divide came about after the time of Justinian, which was roughly when the westerners mostly forgot Greek and the easterners mostly forgot Latin.

No, even the western Christians spoke koine Greek, at least for the first century or two. The first Christians to write in Latin were Tertullian and Minucius Felix, at the end of the second century; before then, some parts of the Bible seem to have been translated into Latin on a fairly ad hoc basis, but that's it. Even the Roman Christians spoke Greek.

I think the real linguistic divide came about after the time of Justinian, which was roughly when the westerners mostly forgot Greek and the easterners mostly forgot Latin.

"westerners mostly forgot Greek... " until the renaissance. :)

Thanks................

Koine Greek was spoken in official business circles in 1st century Palestine.