Latin Europe
Encyclopedia
Latin Europe is a loose term for the region of Europe
with an especially strong Latin cultural heritage
inherited from the Roman Empire
.
often use "Latin Europe" to refer to the cultural-geographic area of Europe where Latin was used as a working language of the Church, State and/or Academy. This traditionally means the region covered by the Catholic Church, under the Bishop of Rome, which practically coincided with the territorial dominions of the old Frankish empire
and the cultural satellites on its periphery. Latin Europe is spoken of in contrast to the Slavic or Greek
-influenced Eastern Europe, in the sphere of influence of the Orthodox church, under the Patriarch of Constantinople
, and the Byzantine empire
. Latin Europe is often used synonymously with "Western Europe".
In non-historical contexts, the term has been used by some authors like Rogelio Pérez-Perdomo and Lawrence Friedman. Geographically anchored in Southern Europe
, the countries
using a Romance language (or one with a large Romance lexical input), that are also predominantly Roman Catholic
, are considered culturally Latin by Pérez-Perdomo and Friedman.
Many such countries have status within the Latin Union
. There is no clear definition on which countries or areas are included, but Portugal
, Spain
, France
, Italy
, Wallonia, French, Italian and Romansh-speaking parts of Switzerland
and most of their culturally related European Microstates
always or nearly always are.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with an especially strong Latin cultural heritage
Legacy of the Roman Empire
The legacy of the Roman Empire refers to the set of cultural values, religious beliefs, as well as technological and other achievements of Ancient Rome which were passed on after the demise of the empire itself and continued to shape other civilizations, a process which continues to this day.-...
inherited from the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
Application
Historians of the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
often use "Latin Europe" to refer to the cultural-geographic area of Europe where Latin was used as a working language of the Church, State and/or Academy. This traditionally means the region covered by the Catholic Church, under the Bishop of Rome, which practically coincided with the territorial dominions of the old Frankish empire
Frankish Empire
Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire , Frankish Kingdom , Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from the 3rd to the 10th century...
and the cultural satellites on its periphery. Latin Europe is spoken of in contrast to the Slavic or Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
-influenced Eastern Europe, in the sphere of influence of the Orthodox church, under the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
, and the Byzantine empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. Latin Europe is often used synonymously with "Western Europe".
In non-historical contexts, the term has been used by some authors like Rogelio Pérez-Perdomo and Lawrence Friedman. Geographically anchored in Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
, the countries
Romance Europe
Romance Europe is the area of Europe where Romance languages are either official, co-official, or significantly used. It is a major linguistic subdivision of Europe alongside Germanic- and Slavic-speaking subdivisions....
using a Romance language (or one with a large Romance lexical input), that are also predominantly Roman Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Europe
The Roman Catholic Church is geographically centered in Holy See of Rome, Italy. About a third of the population of Europe today is Catholic, but only about a quarter of all Catholics worldwide reside in Europe, due to historical missionary activity, especially in South America.-References:*CIA...
, are considered culturally Latin by Pérez-Perdomo and Friedman.
Many such countries have status within the Latin Union
Latin Union
The Latin Union is an international organization of nations that use Romance languages, with the aim of protecting, projecting, and promoting the common cultural heritage and unifying identities of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world. It was created in 1954 in Madrid, Spain, and has existed as a...
. There is no clear definition on which countries or areas are included, but Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Wallonia, French, Italian and Romansh-speaking parts of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and most of their culturally related European Microstates
European microstates
The European microstates or ministates are a set of very small states in Europe. While Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City are usually included, Luxembourg and Cyprus share certain features as well...
always or nearly always are.
See also
- Romance-speaking Europe
- Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
- Latin ArchLatin ArchLatin Arch or Latin Arc is a name coined for the littoral around the northwestern Mediterranean Basin, which stretches from the bottom of the Italian Peninsula at Malta, along the eastern coast of Sicily, the west Italian coast, Southern France, the eastern Spanish coast, finishing at Gibraltar,...
- Latin UnionLatin UnionThe Latin Union is an international organization of nations that use Romance languages, with the aim of protecting, projecting, and promoting the common cultural heritage and unifying identities of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world. It was created in 1954 in Madrid, Spain, and has existed as a...
- LatinsLatins"Latins" refers to different groups of people and the meaning of the word changes for where and when it is used.The original Latins were an Italian tribe inhabiting central and south-central Italy. Through conquest by their most populous city-state, Rome, the original Latins culturally "Romanized"...
- Mediterranean Union
- Romance-speaking African countriesRomance-speaking African countriesRomance-speaking Africa consists of the countries and territories in Africa whose official or main languages are Romance ones, and countries which have significant populations that speak Romance languages...
- Romano-GermanicRomano-GermanicRomano-Germanic may refer to:*Romano-Germanic culture of ancient Germanic peoples subject to the Roman Empire*Romano-Germanic law, a family of legal systems*Romano-Germanic Empire, more commonly called the Carolingian Empire...
- Western cultureWestern cultureWestern culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...