Learn with the world's most popular Latin course

Meet Pompeii's most famous familia

Travel back almost 2000 years to AD 79, a time when the Romans controlled much of Europe. The magnificent Italian city of Rome is the centre of the Roman Empire and 125 miles to the south of the capital are the beautiful Bay of Naples, the slumbering volcano Mount Vesuvius, and the prosperous Roman town of Pompeii. Explore Pompeii, meet some of its citizens and investigate the Roman world as you learn the basics of the Latin language.
More information about the CLC
A group of Roman people with a man wearing a toga front and centre

Proven approach to language learning

The Cambridge Latin Course is the product of over 50 years of research and development by the Cambridge School Classics Project team based in the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Education.

  • Uses the Reading Method of language acquisition supported by classroom based research and evidence

  • Integrates language and culture to improve understanding and engagement

  • Built around well loved storylines and characters informed by historical research

Online learning with the CLC

This online course works alongside and enriches the textbook for successful independent study

  • Step by step guidance

    Every element of the CLC is explained clearly and accessibly to ensure students know the purpose of the content and how to get the best out of their studies.

  • Multimedia approach

    Includes short documentaries about Roman life; video explanations of language content; audio of every Latin story; video dramatisations; and full voiceovers for course presentations.

  • Check and track your learning

    Built in learning checks and easy to access course tracking enable students to regularly assess their understanding and identify their own strengths and weaknesses.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introductory and general materials

    • Getting started

    • Pronouncing Latin: downloadable guide

    • Pronouncing Latin: presentation (Optional)

    • Map of Pompeii

    • Book 1 vocabulary checker
  • 2

    Stage 1: Caecilius

    • Introduction

    • Model Sentences 1-6 (pg 3)

    • Model Sentences 7-12 (pg 4)

    • Model Sentences 13-18 (pg 5)

    • Page 5 model sentences quiz

    • Cerberus (pg 6): teacher notes

    • Cerberus (pg 6): introductory video

    • Cerberus (pg. 6): listen to the story

    • Cerberus (pg 6): story explorer

    • About the language: word order (pg 7)

    • Practising the language (digital activity): exercise 1

    • Practising the language (digital activity): exercise 2

    • Sorting Words (digital activity)

    • Cultural Background: Houses in Pompeii

    • Cultural Background: The House of Menander

    • Cultural Background: Roman house quiz

    • Cultural Background: Pompeian gardens

    • Cultural Background: Caecilius and his familia
  • 3

    Stage 2: in villā

    • Introduction

    • Model Sentences (pg 16-19): teacher notes

    • Model Sentences (pg 16-19)

    • Model sentences quiz

    • mercātor (pg 20): teacher notes

    • mercātor (pg 20): introductory video

    • mercātor (pg. 20): listen to the story

    • mercātor: story explorer

    • mercātor: check your understanding

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): teacher notes

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): introductory video

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): listen to the story

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): story explorer

    • in trīcliniō (pg 20): check your understanding

    • About the language (pg 21): nominative and accusative

    • Practising the language (pg 22): exercise 1

    • Practising the language (pg 22): amīcus

    • Practising the language (pg 22): exercise 2

    • Sorting words 1 (digital activity): cases

    • Sorting words 2 (digital activity): cases (optional)

    • Sorting words 3 (digital activity): nouns and actions

    • Sorting words 4 (digital activity): nouns and actions

    • Sorting words 5 (digital activity): meanings

    • Cultural Background: Roman clothing

    • Cultural background: Cooking with Grumio
  • 4

    Stage 3: negōtium

    • Introduction

    • in forō (pg 28): teacher notes

    • in forō (pg 28): listen to the story

    • in forō (pg 28): story explorer

    • in forō (pg 28): Check your understanding

    • in forō (pg 28): understanding cases exercise

    • pictor (pg 29): teacher notes

    • pictor (pg 29): introductory video

    • pictor (pg 29): listen to the story

    • pictor (pg 29): explore the story

    • pictor (pg 29): quiz on lines 8-11

    • tōnsor (pg 30): teacher notes

    • tōnsor (pg 30): introductory video

    • tōnsor (pg30): listen to the story

    • tōnsor (pg 30): story explorer

    • vēnālīcius (pg 31): teacher notes

    • vēnālīcius (pg 31): introductory video

    • vēnālīcius (pg 31): listen to the story

    • vēnālīcius (pg 31): explore the story

    • About the language (pg 32)

    • Practising the language (pg 33): exercise 1

    • Practising the language (pg 33): exercise 2

    • Sorting words (digital activity): declensions

    • Sorting words (digital activity): meaning

    • Word endings (digital activity): nouns

    • Cultural background: Wall Paintings

    • Cultural background: Trade in Pompeii
  • 5

    Stage 4: in forō

    • Introduction

    • Model Sentences 1-6 (pg 40)

    • Model Sentences 7-12 (pg 41)

    • Model Sentences 13-15 (pg 42)

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): teacher notes

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): introductory video

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): listen to the story

    • Hermogenēs (pg 43): explore the story

    • in basilicā (pg 44): teacher notes

    • in basilicā (pg 44): introductory video

    • in basilicā (pg 44): listen to the story

    • in basilicā (pg 44): explore the story

    • About the language: ego and tū (pg 45)

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 46)

    • Practising the language (digital activity): word endings

    • Sorting Words (digital activity): which person?

    • Sorting words (digital activity): nouns and actions

    • Sorting words (digital activity): meanings

    • Cultural background: The forum

    • Cultural background: Religion in the forum

    • Stage 4 Attainment Test
  • 6

    Stage 5: in theātrō

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences 1 to 10 (pg 54-55)

    • in theātrō (pg. 56-57): introductory video

    • Model sentences 11 to 20 (in theātrō)

    • āctōrēs (pg 58): teacher notes

    • āctōrēs (pg 58): introductory video

    • āctōrēs (pg 58): listen to the story

    • āctōrēs (pg 58): explore the story

    • About the language 1: singular and plural (pg 59-60)

    • About the language 1: check your understanding (quiz)

    • Poppaea (pg 61): teacher notes

    • Poppaea (pg 61): introductory video

    • Poppaea (pg 61): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Poppaea (pg 61): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • Poppaea (pg 61): listen to the story

    • Poppaea (pg 61): explore the story

    • About the language 2: singular and plural (pg 62)

    • Sorting Words: singular and plural 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting Words: singular and plural 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting Words: singular and plural 3 (digital activity)

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 63)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 63)

    • Practising the language: in theātrō

    • Word endings: nouns (digital activity)

    • Word endings: nouns and verbs (digital activity)

    • Word endings: verbs (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: declensions 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: declensions 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: nouns or verbs? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: The theatre at Pompeii

    • Cultural background: Masks

    • Cultural background: pantomime

    • Cultural background: rustic comedy

    • Cultural background: the comedies of Plautus

    • Cultural background: 'The Ghost' by Plautus
  • 7

    Stage 6: Fēlīx

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 70-71)

    • pugna (pg 71): teacher notes

    • pugna (pg 71): introductory video

    • pugna (pg 71): listen to the story

    • pugna (pg 72): explore the story

    • Fēlīx (pg 72): teacher notes

    • Fēlīx (pg 72): introductory video

    • Fēlīx (pg 72): listen to the story

    • Fēlīx (pg 72): explore the story

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): teacher notes

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): introductory video

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): listen to the story

    • Fēlīx et fūr (pg 73): explore the story

    • About the language (pg 74-75): imperfect and perfect tenses

    • About the language (pg 74-75): singular verbs

    • About the language (pg 74-75): plural verbs

    • avārus (Practising the language): introduction

    • avārus (Practising the language): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • avārus (Practising the language): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • Practising the language: avārus - answer key

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 77)

    • Sorting words: nouns or verbs? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which tense? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: singular or plural? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: Slavery in the Roman world

    • Cultural background: Enslaved people in the household

    • Cultural background: Freedmen and Freedwomen
  • 8

    Stage 7: cēna

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 84-85)

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86): teacher notes

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86): introductory video

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86, full version): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86, lines 1-10): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86, lines 9-16): watch the story (without subtitles)

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86): listen to the story

    • fābula mīrābilis (pg 86): explore the story

    • About the language 1 (pg 87): verbs with he, she and they

    • Decēns (pg 88): teacher notes

    • Decēns (pg 88): introductory video

    • Decēns (pg 88): listen to the story

    • Decēns (pg 88): explore the story

    • post cēnam (pg 89): teacher notes

    • post cēnam (pg 89): introductory video

    • post cēnam (pg 89): listen to the story

    • post cēnam (pg 89): explore the story

    • About the language 2 (pg 90): perfect tense

    • Metella et Melissa (pg 91): teacher notes

    • Metella et Melissa (pg 91): introductory video

    • Metella et Melissa (pg 91): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Metella et Melissa (pg 91): listen to the story

    • Metella et Melissa (pg 91): explore the story

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 92)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 92)

    • Word endings: verbs (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which tense? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: Roman beliefs about life after death

    • Cultural background: Tombs in Pompeii

    • Cultural background: The living and the dead
  • 9

    Stage 8: gladiātōrēs

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 98-99)

    • Model Sentences (pg 98-99): quiz

    • gladiātōrēs (pg 100): teacher notes

    • gladiātōrēs (pg 100): introductory video

    • gladiātōrēs (pg 100): listen to the story

    • glādiatōrēs (pg 100): explore the story

    • in arēnā (pg 101): teacher notes

    • in arēnā (pg 101): introductory video

    • in arēnā (pg 101): listen to the story

    • in arēnā (pg 101): explore the story

    • vēnātiō (pg 103): teacher notes

    • vēnātiō (pg 103): introductory video

    • vēnātiō (pg 103): listen to the story

    • vēnātiō (pg 103): explore the story

    • pāstor et leō (pg 104): teacher notes

    • pāstor et leō (pg 104): introductory video

    • pāstor et leō (pg 104): listen to the story

    • pāstor et lēo (pg 104): explore the story

    • About the language 2: superlatives (pg 105)

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 106)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 106)

    • Word endings: nouns (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: cases 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: cases 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: cases 3 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: declensions (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: characters (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: Gladiatorial shows

    • Cultural background: A reconstruction of a gladiator fight

    • Cultural background: The amphitheatre

    • Cultural background: Riot at the amphitheatre

    • Cultural background: Animal hunts

    • Stage 8 Attainment Test
  • 10

    Stage 9: thermae

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 114-115)

    • Model Sentences (pg 114-115): quiz

    • in palaestrā (pg 116): teacher notes

    • in palaestrā (pg 116): introductory video

    • in palaestrā (pg 116): listen to the story

    • in palaestrā (pg 116): explore the story

    • About the language: the dative case 1 (pg 118-119)

    • About the language: the dative case 2 (pg 118-119)

    • Sorting words: cases 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: cases 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: cases 3 (digital activity)

    • in tabernā (pg 120): teacher notes

    • Sorting words: cases 4 (digital activity)

    • in tabernā (pg 120): introductory video

    • in tabernā (pg 120): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • in tabernā (pg 120): listen to the story

    • in tabernā (pg 120): explore the story

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 121)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 121)

    • Practising the language: Ex 3 (pg 121)

    • in apodytēriō (pg 122): teacher notes

    • in apodytēriō (pg 122): introductory video

    • in apodytēriō (pg 122): listen to the story

    • in apodytēriō (pg 122): explore the story

    • Sorting words: I and you (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: Visiting the baths

    • Cultural background: Using the palaestra

    • Cultural background: Heating the baths
  • 11

    Stage 10: rhētor

    • Introduction

    • Model Sentences 1-6 (pg 130-133)

    • contrōversia (pg 134): teacher notes

    • contrōversia (pg 134): introductory video

    • contrōversia (pg 134): listen to the story

    • contrōversia (pg 134): explore the story

    • contrōversia (pg 134): watch the story (in English)

    • Sorting words: Roman schools (digital activity)

    • About the language 1: verbs 1 (pg 136)

    • About the language 1: verbs 2 (pg 136)

    • statuae (pg 137): teacher notes

    • statuae (pg 137): introductory video

    • statuae (pg 137): listen to the story

    • statuae (pg 137): explore the story

    • About the language 2: comparatives (pg 138)

    • Sorting words: comparison (digital activity)

    • ānulus Aegyptius (pg 138): teacher notes

    • ānulus Aegyptius (pg 138): listen to the story

    • ānulus Aegyptius (pg 138): explore the story

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 140)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 140)

    • Sorting words: which person? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: characters (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: The first stage of education

    • Cultural background: The second stage of education

    • Cultural background: The third stage of education
  • 12

    Stage 11: candidati

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 146-147)

    • Marcus et Quārtus (pg 148): teacher notes

    • Marcus et Quārtus (pg 148): introductory video

    • Marcus et Quārtus (pg 148): listen to the story

    • Marcus et Quārtus (pg 148): explore the story

    • About the language 1: verbs and the dative 1 (pg 150)

    • About the language 1: verbs and the dative 2 (pg 150)

    • Word endings: verbs with the dative (digital activity)

    • Sulla (pg 149): teacher notes

    • Sulla (pg 149): introductory video

    • Sulla (pg 149): listen to the story

    • Sulla (pg 149): explore the story

    • About the language 2: questions (pg 154)

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: introductory video

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in vīllā (pg 151): teacher notes

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in vīllā (pg 151): listen to the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in vīllā (pg 151): explore the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: prope amphitheātrum (pg 152): introductory video

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: prope amphitheātrum (pg 152): teacher notes

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: prope amphitheātrum (pg 152): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: prope amphitheātrum (pg 152): listen to the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: prope amphitheātrum (pg 152): explore the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in forō (pg 152): teacher notes

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in forō (pg 152): introductory video

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in forō (pg 152): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in forō (pg 152): listen to the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in forō (pg 152): explore the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in culīnā (pg 153): teacher notes

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in culīnā (pg 153): introductory video

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in culīnā (pg 153): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in culīnā (pg 153): listen to the story

    • Lūcius Sprurius Pompōniānus: in culīnā (pg 153): explore the story

    • Practising the language: Ex 1 (pg 155)

    • Practising the language: Ex 2 (pg 155)

    • Sorting words: cases (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: I, you and we (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: Local government and elections
  • 13

    Stage 12: Vesuvius

    • Introduction

    • Model sentences (pg 162-163)

    • tremōrēs (pg 164): teacher notes

    • tremōrēs (pg 164): introductory video

    • tremōrēs (pg 164): listen to the story

    • tremōrēs (pg 164): explore the story

    • ad urbem (pg 166): teacher notes

    • ad urbem (pg 166): introductory video

    • ad urbem (pg 166): listen to the story

    • ad urbem (pg 166, lines 19-32): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • ad urbem (pg 166): explore the story

    • ad vīllam (pg 167): listen to the story

    • ad vīllam (pg 167): introductory video

    • ad vīllam (pg 167): explore the story

    • fīnis (pg 168): introduction

    • ad vīllam (pg 167): teacher notes

    • fīnis (pg 168): teacher notes

    • fīnis (pg 168): listen to the story

    • fīnis (pg 168, lines 13-26): watch the story (with subtitles)

    • fīnis (pg 168): explore the story

    • About the language: imperfect and perfect tenses 1 (pg 170-171)

    • About the language: imperfect and perfect tenses 2 (pg 170-171)

    • Sorting words: which tense? (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person? 1 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: which person? 2 (digital activity)

    • Sorting words: meanings (digital activity)

    • Cultural background: The destruction of Pompeii

    • Cultural background: The excavation of Pompeii

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