Discover the language that shaped the foundation of Western civilisation with our Latin short courses in Sydney!
Step deeper into the world of Classical Latin and experience the language of Caesar, Cicero and Virgil in its original form. Designed for students who have completed our Introduction to Classical Latin course (or have around 20 hours of recent study), this course will expand your knowledge of Latin grammar and vocabulary while offering a richer understanding of the Roman world.
Through engaging readings and exercises, you’ll explore the lives, fortunes and ambitions of people across the Roman Empire — from Pompeii to Britannia and Egypt — gaining insight into a civilisation that continues to shape our language, culture and ways of thinking.
Join us as we continue this journey into the ancient world, connecting Latin not just to the past, but to the ideas and traditions that still influence us today.
This course will be held online via Zoom.
By the end of this Classical Latin: Beginners Level 2 course, you should be able to:
- Read and understand longer passages of Classical Latin with growing confidence and fluency
- Translate more complex sentences between Latin and English with greater accuracy
- Recognise and apply a wider range of verb forms across past and present tenses
- Identify and decline a broader range of nouns and adjectives
- Construct clear and grammatically sound sentences in Classical Latin
- Demonstrate a deeper understanding of Roman culture and society across different regions of the empire
Using Books 1 and 2 of the Cambridge Latin Course, you will continue developing your understanding of Latin through structured readings and exercises drawn from original texts.
As your knowledge grows, you will explore key grammatical structures that allow you to engage more meaningfully with the language, including:
- Verbs across the first, second, third and fourth conjugations
- Nouns and adjectives across the first, second and third declensions
- The ablative and genitive cases
- Prepositional phrases
- Relative clauses and pronouns
- The infinitive and key verbs such as volo (I want), nolo (I do not want), and possum (I can)
- The imperfect and pluperfect tenses
Who is this Classical Latin: Beginners Level 2 course for?
This course is ideal for students who:
- Have completed our introductory Latin course or have equivalent knowledge
- Are passionate about Roman literature, history or philosophy
- Are studying or considering studies in Ancient History or Classical Studies
- Want to explore the roots of modern European languages
- Enjoy language learning with a strong cultural and historical dimension
Online via Zoom.
Zoom details will be emailed to you with your enrolment confirmation.
Requirements:
- A device with a stable internet connection
What to bring to class:
- Textbooks (see below)
- Notebook and pen
- A curiosity about the ancient world
Please purchase the following textbooks, which will be used throughout the course:
- Cambridge Latin Course: Book 1. Fifth Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2022. ISBN-10: 1009162640. ISBN-13: 978-1009162647
- Cambridge Latin Course: Book 2. Fifth Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2022. ISBN-10: 1009162683. ISBN-13: 978-1009162685
These textbooks are widely available, including from Amazon, Abbey’s and Dymocks.
Students who attend at least 80% of the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Sydney Community College.
This certificate recognises your commitment to learning Classical Latin and can support further academic or personal study.
Continue your Classical Latin journey
After completing this course, you can continue building your language skills in our Classical Latin: Intermediate course, where you'll explore more sophisticated texts, expand your grammatical knowledge, and deepen your understanding of Roman history, literature, philosophy, and culture.
Students may also enjoy exploring the ideas of the ancient world through our Philosophy Course: Stoicism, also taught by tutor Chris Baghos, which examines the philosophical traditions that shaped Roman life and thought.
