Priscian

Priscianus Lydus, known simply as Priscian, was a Latin grammarian of late antiquity whose exact dates and origins are uncertain. Most scholars place him in the 5th or early 6th century CE, with ties to the eastern Roman world. He is remembered primarily through his influential grammatical writings, which circulated widely in Late Antiquity and throughout the medieval period.

His principal work is the Institutiones grammaticae, an extensive Latin grammar organized in 18 books. It systematically describes Latin language structure, covering the parts of speech, morphology, syntax, and usage, and it draws abundant examples from classical authors to illustrate rules. The text provides a comprehensive inventory of forms and constructions and presents a framework that governed Latin instruction for centuries.

The Institutiones grammaticae became the standard grammar in late antique and medieval schools. It was copied in countless manuscripts, glossed, and transmitted alongside other authorities such as Donatus, shaping how Latin was taught and understood. Priscian’s approach helped preserve and propagate detailed information about Latin inflection, sentence construction, and lexical categories that later grammarians would refine.

Legacy and influence of Priscian rest largely on the enduring authority of his grammar. His work remained a cornerstone of education and philology well into the Renaissance, contributing to the transmission of classical Latin knowledge and informing subsequent linguistic and scholarly traditions.