This is an opportunity to study a range of different subject areas and sources that include the literature, history and visual/material culture of Greece and Rome. Candidates sit three written papers: Paper 1 The World of the Hero. The important and ever-popular literary genre of epic forms the basis of OCR’s mandatory component The World of the Hero (H408/11). This component will explore both Greek and Roman epic, with the study of either Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid. The works of Homer are the foundation of the Western literary canon, and the Greeks themselves considered them the cornerstone of Greek culture. In his Aeneid Virgil pays homage to Homer, but also to Rome and its leader, the emperor Augustus. With their unique composition and exciting tales of gods and heroes, these works of literature form an excellent grounding for exploration of the classical world. Paper 2 Greek Art: The 6th–4th centuries BC were a period of great change in the Greek world, and this is reflected in the art which was produced during this era. In this component, candidates will gain a thorough knowledge and understanding of Greek art but they will also gain some understanding of and insight into, the context in which it was created, particularly the areas of religion, society, values and history/politics. Candidates will have the opportunity to explore and engage with a range of the visual arts produced by the Greeks in 6th– 4th centuries BC, including free-standing sculpture, architectural sculpture and vase painting. Paper 3 Greek Religion: Religion was an essential part of ancient Greek identity, permeating all strata of society and all aspects of an individual’s daily life. Religion could be connected to the household, to life in the city or to life in the countryside; moreover, politics and religion were intertwined to the extent that political decisions were sometimes made on the basis of divine oracular intervention. Religion was also an important tool for the creation of local and Panhellenic identities, as well as competition between the Greek city-states. Studying the practicalities of religious ritual, and the role it played in society, alongside the functions and layout of famous temple complexes, will make this component tangible for candidates and help develop their sense of the central role religion played in the life of everyday people. Students will also explore the nature of the gods and their relationships with mortals. Key to this is the depiction of the gods by Homer and Hesiod, whom Herodotus credited with giving the Greeks their first understanding of the characters of the Pantheon; also included are the very different roles of Mystery Cults, and the tensions caused by the rise of philosophical thinking.