Editing Roman Republic (section)

===Education and language===
{{Main|Roman school|Latin}}
Rome's original native language was [[early Latin]], the language of the Italic [[Latins (Italic tribe)|Latins]]. Most surviving [[Latin literature]] is written in [[Classical Latin]], a highly stylised and polished [[literary language]] which developed from early and vernacular spoken Latin, from the 1st century. Most Latin speakers used [[Vulgar Latin]], which significantly differed from Classical Latin in grammar, vocabulary, and eventually pronunciation.<ref>{{cite book |last=Migliorini |first=Bruno |author-link=Bruno Migliorini |year=2007 |title=Storia della lingua italiana |location=Milan |publisher=Bompiani |edition=XII |pages=12–13 |isbn=978-88-452-4961-7 |language=it}}</ref>

Following various military conquests in the [[Greek East]], Romans adapted a number of Greek educational precepts to their own fledgling system.{{sfn|Pascal|1984}} Strenuous, disciplined physical training helped prepare boys of citizen class for their eventual citizenship and a military career. Girls generally received instruction{{sfn|OCD<sup>3</sup>|1996}} from their mothers in the art of spinning, weaving, and sewing. Schooling of a more formal sort began around 200. Education began at the age of around six, and in the next six to seven years, boys and girls were expected to learn reading, writing and counting. By the age of twelve, they would be learning Latin, Greek, grammar and literature, followed by training for public speaking. [[Rhetoric|Effective oratory]] and good Latin were highly valued among the elite, and were essential to a career in law or politics.{{sfn|Farrell|2001|pp=74–75}}{{sfn|Bauman|1994|pp=51–52}}