Certamen Horatianum

A tribute to the poet of Venosa

The Certamen Horatianum is one of the oldest and most prestigious certamina in Italy, dedicated to Quintus Horatius Flaccus, the great Latin poet born in Venosa in 65 BC. Organized by the I.I.S. "Flacco-Battaglini" of Venosa, the competition attracts high school students from all over Italy and abroad each year, challenging them to translate and comment on a Horatian text.

An international competition

The certamen is international in scope: recent editions have seen the participation of about 160 students, with delegations from Spain, Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland, and other European countries. The test takes place in the classrooms of the Venosa institute and engages young classicists in a high-level challenge on Horace's language and thought.

More than a competition

Alongside the competition, the Certamen Horatianum offers conferences, talks, and cultural events dedicated to the figure of Horace and the city's heritage. The event enjoys significant institutional recognition, including the patronage of the Presidency of the Republic, testifying to its cultural and educational value.

Venosa, the city of Horace

The event is also an opportunity to discover Venosa, listed among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy and rich in extraordinary archaeological and monumental heritage: the Archaeological Park, the Abbey of the Santissima Trinità, the Pirro del Balzo Castle. For young classicists, translating Horace in his birthplace takes on a very special meaning.