Last-Gasp Pliny: A New AP Survey (Intermediate)
Instructor:
Description:
In this brief intensive, just in time for the 2025–26 academic year, we will read and discuss the entirety of the Pliny selections in the new AP Latin curriculum, establishing meaning and discussing the finer points of Pliny’s style without losing sight of his historical, cultural, and literary context. If time allows, we will also read from standout letters in the Plinian corpus that the AP Board excluded from their selection. We will also discuss the genre of letter-writing in antiquity and how Pliny’s letters engage with the conventions of the genre. Part of every class will be conducted in Latin, but the greater emphasis will be on translation and English language discussion, given the nature of the AP exam.
Sessions will take place via Zoom and are capped at 10 participants to ensure a personalized learning environment.
Schedule:
8 2-hour sessions over 1 week
Monday through Thursday, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST*
August 4, 2025 - August 7, 2025
*The course will observe US time and thus will change according to daylight saving time.
Major US federal holidays are observed. If a participant misses a session due to their observance of a religious holiday, they can arrange a separate session with the instructor.
Cost: USD 400 ($25/ hour)
What you’ll need:
AP teachers are encouraged to use the text they plan to use with their students. Otherwise, any text of Pliny will be fine, but I recommend Geoffrey Steadman’s free College Pliny and Virgil (https://geoffreysteadman.com/ap-pliny-and-vergil/), which contains all the relevant selections as well as helpful notes and vocabulary.
Zoom
Decent internet
Earphones
Microphone
Webcam (preferred but optional)
A quiet space for classes
Instructor:
Description:
In this brief intensive, just in time for the 2025–26 academic year, we will read and discuss the entirety of the Pliny selections in the new AP Latin curriculum, establishing meaning and discussing the finer points of Pliny’s style without losing sight of his historical, cultural, and literary context. If time allows, we will also read from standout letters in the Plinian corpus that the AP Board excluded from their selection. We will also discuss the genre of letter-writing in antiquity and how Pliny’s letters engage with the conventions of the genre. Part of every class will be conducted in Latin, but the greater emphasis will be on translation and English language discussion, given the nature of the AP exam.
Sessions will take place via Zoom and are capped at 10 participants to ensure a personalized learning environment.
Schedule:
8 2-hour sessions over 1 week
Monday through Thursday, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST*
August 4, 2025 - August 7, 2025
*The course will observe US time and thus will change according to daylight saving time.
Major US federal holidays are observed. If a participant misses a session due to their observance of a religious holiday, they can arrange a separate session with the instructor.
Cost: USD 400 ($25/ hour)
What you’ll need:
AP teachers are encouraged to use the text they plan to use with their students. Otherwise, any text of Pliny will be fine, but I recommend Geoffrey Steadman’s free College Pliny and Virgil (https://geoffreysteadman.com/ap-pliny-and-vergil/), which contains all the relevant selections as well as helpful notes and vocabulary.
Zoom
Decent internet
Earphones
Microphone
Webcam (preferred but optional)
A quiet space for classes
Instructor:
Description:
In this brief intensive, just in time for the 2025–26 academic year, we will read and discuss the entirety of the Pliny selections in the new AP Latin curriculum, establishing meaning and discussing the finer points of Pliny’s style without losing sight of his historical, cultural, and literary context. If time allows, we will also read from standout letters in the Plinian corpus that the AP Board excluded from their selection. We will also discuss the genre of letter-writing in antiquity and how Pliny’s letters engage with the conventions of the genre. Part of every class will be conducted in Latin, but the greater emphasis will be on translation and English language discussion, given the nature of the AP exam.
Sessions will take place via Zoom and are capped at 10 participants to ensure a personalized learning environment.
Schedule:
8 2-hour sessions over 1 week
Monday through Thursday, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST*
August 4, 2025 - August 7, 2025
*The course will observe US time and thus will change according to daylight saving time.
Major US federal holidays are observed. If a participant misses a session due to their observance of a religious holiday, they can arrange a separate session with the instructor.
Cost: USD 400 ($25/ hour)
What you’ll need:
AP teachers are encouraged to use the text they plan to use with their students. Otherwise, any text of Pliny will be fine, but I recommend Geoffrey Steadman’s free College Pliny and Virgil (https://geoffreysteadman.com/ap-pliny-and-vergil/), which contains all the relevant selections as well as helpful notes and vocabulary.
Zoom
Decent internet
Earphones
Microphone
Webcam (preferred but optional)
A quiet space for classes
Classes require a minimum number of participants to run although they may run with fewer participants, at the instructor’s discretion.
Refund policy:
More than a week prior to the start of the course: 100% refund or credit
Within 2 weeks of the start of the course: credit to use for another course hosted on LAC