Classical Civilisation

Assessment

Our course consists of one compulsory component and two components, where the topic is dictated by the particular teacher’s passion and expertise. Paper 1: The World of the Hero (40%) Homer’s Iliad (Year 12) – as a lyrical exploration of the destructive impact of war on a community, the Iliad remains unsurpassed. Virgil’s Aeneid (Year 13) – Virgil recasts Homer, Iliad and Odyssey alike, into one great Roman epic, written for an empire (and emperor) that ruled the world. Paper 2: Culture and the Arts (30%) Greek Theatre (Year 12) – This module goes to the roots of European drama. Critical reading sets two great tragedies, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Euripides’ Bacchae, against an equally great comedy, Aristophanes’ Frogs. Paper 3: Beliefs and Ideas (30%) Love and Relationships (Year 13) – this comparative study traces Greek and Roman beliefs across both cultures to take in the ideas of Sappho (one of the few female voices from the ancient world), Plato, Seneca and Ovid on gender, passion and the nature of love itself. Written tasks focus on the close analysis of sources, both visual and literary, and the building of cogent arguments in broader essays. You are encouraged to read the opinions of modern historians and critics, so you reach your conclusions within the context of contemporary scholarly debate. All papers are examined at the end of Year 13, and there is no coursework.