Classical Civilisation is an exciting, interesting and wide-ranging course which provides students with a broad, coherent and rewarding study of the literature and culture of the Classical world. The course embraces art, archaeology, history, literature, politics, philosophy and religion. You will have the opportunity to study some of the world’s most powerful literature and visual material, both of which have had a profound and wide-reaching influence on modern culture, giving you not only a depth and breadth of knowledge about the ancient world but also an insight into the modern world. Our culture has been and continues to be influenced and inspired by Classical models - from Greek tragedy to Shakespeare, from Greek comedy to satire and modern stand-up comedy, from the Parthenon to the Lincoln Memorial. Component 1: The World of the Hero This is a compulsory component comprising an in-depth study of either Homer’s Iliad or Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid. Component 2: Culture and the Arts Students study one component in this group, chosen from Greek Theatre or Imperial Image Invention of the Barbarian or Greek Art. Component 3: Beliefs and Ideas Students study one component in this group, chosen from Greek Religion or Love and Relationships in the Greek and Roman world or Democracy and the Athenians. Junior Sixth You will study one element of Component 1 – Homer’s Odyssey. This epic poem is fundamental to Western literature and is the second oldest extant work of Western literature. It focuses on the journey from Troy to his home in Ithaca of the Greek hero Odysseus. For Component 2 you will study three fascinating plays from the golden age of Greek drama – Bacchae, Oedipus the King and Frogs. Even though these plays were written approximately 2,500 years ago, they are still as relevant today as when they were written and provoke discussion about questions such as the importance of family, fate and politics. Senior Sixth You will study the second element of Component 1 – Vergil’s Aeneid. The story of Aeneas who escaped the fall of Troy and journeyed across the Mediterranean to eventually reach Italy. It is also the story of the foundation of Rome and its empire and of the Augustan age which produced the poem. In Component 3 you will study either Greek Religion or Love and Relationships in the Greek and Roman world. Over the whole A-level course you will study four major topics which will incorporate elements of Art and Architecture, Archaeology, Comedy, Culture and Society, Epic Poetry, Philosophy and Tragedy.