Complex Noun Phrases in Latin. From Plautus to Humanism: Our investigation of complex NPs in Latin aims to throw light on the use of discontinuous versus continuous NPs. We investigate the following possible parameters of distribution: chronology, style, genre, typology, and in particular, a number of variational principles proposed in modern linguistics. We have investigated 26 (extracts of) texts. Our results show that chronology is not a relevant parameter of variation, as discontinuous NPs are found in the entire period. Although the distinction between verse and prose is important, it cannot explain the variations found. Modern parameters of variation have turned out to be more relevant. Thus, the distinction of text types according to the communication situation provides an interesting basis for the evaluation of variation, and so does the variational model proposed by Söll 1985 and elaborated by Koch & Oesterreicher 1990. However, as this model is conceived for modern languages, important differences in languages used in older periods cannot be accounted for. One of the basic principles in the variational model is the distinction between distance and closeness of the communication situation. This distinction cannot be applied to Latin without important modifications concening Classical conventions of different text types