Minimus: Starting Out in Latin by Barbara Bell is a popular introductory Latin course for young learners (typically ages 7–13), combining Latin language learning with Roman culture and mythology. The book contains 12 chapters, each focusing on a different grammatical topic and story from a Roman family in Vindolanda.

📚 Syllabus for Minimus: Starting Out in Latin

💡 Target Audience:

Ages 7–13 (adaptable for older beginners)

📘 Total Chapters: 12

⏱️ Estimated Time to Complete: 24–30 hours (approx. 2–2.5 hours per chapter)

✅ Syllabus Outline

📖 Chapter 1: Meet the Family

• Vocabulary: greetings, family members

• Grammar: nominative case, singular nouns, 1st/2nd declension

• Culture: Vindolanda and Roman families

• Activity: Dialogue practice, family tree project

📖 Chapter 2: Food, Glorious Food

• Vocabulary: meals, food items

• Grammar: accusative case, gender of nouns

• Culture: Roman food customs

• Activity: Label a Roman dinner scene

📖 Chapter 3: Work, Work, Work

• Vocabulary: household jobs

• Grammar: verbs in 3rd person singular

• Culture: Slavery in Roman Britain

• Activity: Write a short diary entry from a servant’s POV

📖 Chapter 4: The Best Days of Your Life?

• Vocabulary: school items and routines

• Grammar: imperatives, questions

• Culture: Roman education

• Activity: Compare Roman and modern school days

📖 Chapter 5: Romans and Britons

• Vocabulary: town life, houses

• Grammar: prepositions and ablative case

• Culture: Roman housing, Briton tribes

• Activity: Design a Roman villa floor plan

📖 Chapter 6: Off to Town

• Vocabulary: markets, shops

• Grammar: plural nouns, accusative plural

• Culture: Roman towns and trade

• Activity: Create a market role-play

📖 Chapter 7: The Military Machine

• Vocabulary: Roman army

• Grammar: verb conjugation (1st/2nd person singular)

• Culture: Roman soldiers and Vindolanda tablets

• Activity: Write a letter as a Roman soldier

📖 Chapter 8: Time for a Bath

• Vocabulary: hygiene, bathing items

• Grammar: adjectives and noun agreement

• Culture: Roman baths

• Activity: Label parts of a Roman bathhouse

📖 Chapter 9: The Soldier’s Life

• Vocabulary: military life

• Grammar: irregular verbs (e.g. est, sunt)

• Culture: Vindolanda garrison

• Activity: Build a timeline of a day in the life of a Roman soldier

📖 Chapter 10: Beauty is in the Eye…

• Vocabulary: body, clothing, appearance

• Grammar: possessive pronouns

• Culture: Roman grooming and fashion

• Activity: Design Roman outfits or make a “mirror” self-description

📖 Chapter 11: Some Sad News

• Vocabulary: emotions, funerals

• Grammar: verb endings review (present tense)

• Culture: Roman funeral customs

• Activity: Roman tombstone inscription project

📖 Chapter 12: Gods! Hear Our Prayers!

• Vocabulary: gods and religion

• Grammar: revision of cases and verb endings

• Culture: Roman gods and temples

• Activity: Create a mini Roman prayer or write about your favorite god