Classical Civilisation

Course summary

You will study three areas of the classical world: The World of the Hero, exploring both Greek and Roman epic; Culture and the Arts, which involves the study of visual/ material culture as well as Greek tragic and comic plays; and Beliefs and Ideas, exploring some of the ideas and ideals that are important not only to the ancient world but also to the modern one. In the World of the Hero component, you will read selections from the Iliad or the Odyssey by Homer, and Virgil’s The Aeneid. Homer’s poems are the foundation of the Western literary canon, and the Greeks themselves considered them the cornerstone of Greek culture. In The Aeneid, Virgil pays homage to Homer, but also to Rome and its leader, Augustus. With their unique composition and exciting tales of gods and heroes, these works of literature form an excellent grounding for the exploration of the classical world. In the Culture and the Arts component, you will ask questions about what it means to be considered ‘other’ as we examine women, foreigners, and outsiders in the Invention of the Barbarian. You will use a mixture of visual – Greek pottery, and temple architecture from the Acropolis – and written media – Euripides’s Medea, Aeschylus’s Persians, and Herodotus’s portrayal of the Persians in The History (all in translation). In the Beliefs and Ideas component, you will study a topic such as Greek religion or love and relationships, examining thought-provoking and interesting concepts that will develop your ability to evaluate and analyse ideas as well as sources.