Epilogue: <i>Historical sociolinguistics and the classical languages</i>

Abstract In concluding this special issue on language change from above and below in Ancient Greek and Latin, I explore common themes across the contributions and ground them more firmly in the histories of these classical languages and in historical sociolinguistic scholarship. The discussion addresses the challenges presented by written sources, the analytical perspectives adopted, the language ideologies underlying written production, and the social factors influencing language change. I conclude by advocating for the integrated linguistic study of Greek and Latin, arguing that this approach provides a more nuanced understanding of their development.