Classical Civilisation

Course summary

The Classics department aims to enable pupils to develop an enthusiasm and understanding of the Classical World, to extract and analyse information, to develop their knowledge and application of the language and to give personal responses about the literature and culture. We study Classical Civilisation because the study of the history and culture of the ancient world makes a superb foundation for the world of work. This subject demands analytical skills, breadth of view, sympathy for other cultures and the capacity to construct rigorous arguments from evidence. This popular A Level course involves the study of the lives and works of the Romans and the Ancient Greeks but requires no knowledge of Latin or Ancient Greek. Topics of study include: • Greek Theatre – focussing on archaeological material, the practicalities of putting on a play in the ancient world and three key plays, including Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Euripides’ Bacchae and Aristophanes’ Frogs (all of which focus on key myths and gods) • The World of the Hero – focussing on Virgil’s Aeneid and Homer’s Odyssey (epic tales of mortals struggling against monsters, gods and the issue of their free will in all of this) Politics of the Late Republic – focussing on Caesar, Cicero and Cato through Cicero’s speeches and letters, where the fall of the Republic and the rise of the emperors is explored