Latin language, Roman history, and classical mythology — buzz-in practice for JCL Certamen competitors.
About Certamen
Certamen is the signature academic competition of the Junior Classical League. Teams of four compete in lightning-fast buzz-in rounds covering Latin language, Roman history, mythology, and culture. Our platform helps you train for every phase of competition.
The Junior Classical League sponsors Certamen at local, state, and national levels. Competition is fierce — preparation is everything.
Two teams of four compete head-to-head. Tossup rounds require instant recall — buzz in before the opposition and answer correctly.
Tossups (buzz-in), Tossup-Bonus (three follow-up questions after a correct tossup), and Written (grammar and translation).
Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Open divisions mean every competitor finds an appropriate challenge level.
Latin grammar, Roman history, Roman and Greek mythology, Roman daily life and culture, and Latin literature passages.
Multiplayer tossup buzz-in practice, written grammar round exercises, and a searchable question database.
From the Blog
Everything you need to know about the JCL's signature academic competition — format, scoring, levels, and how to get started competing.
Read more →The written round tests grammar and translation under pressure. Here's a structured study plan covering declensions, conjugations, and syntax.
Read more →From Jupiter to Janus, mythology questions are among the most common in Certamen. Master the major deities, their domains, and their stories.
Read more →Tossups and bonus rounds require different instincts. Learn when to buzz early, how to pass effectively, and how to maximize team bonus scores.
Read more →A comprehensive reference for every Roman deity and their Greek equivalent — one of the most tested topics across all Certamen divisions.
Read more →