Classical Civilisation

Course summary

Classical Civilisation is a varied and fascinating subject. It gives you the opportunity to study the culture and literature of the Greek and Roman world, reading the works of famous authors such as Homer, Virgil, Euripides and Sophocles in English translation. You will learn about the history, politics, philosophy and lithology of the ancient world through ancient theatre, art, oratory and epic. You will study two main topics in Year 12: for the World of the Hero component, your will study Homer’s Odyssey principally as a work of literature, but also within its social, cultural and religious context. For the Culture and Arts component, you will study Greek theatre – both tragedy and comedy. This will be learnt through the plays themselves and by studying archaeological evident, particularly from pottery. In Year 13, you will continue to study the World of the Hero, complementing your study of Homer’s Odyssey with a study of the Aeneid of Virgil. Again, this will be based on the poem as literature, but will also include other aspects, such as the historical and political context. The Beliefs and Ideas component will centre upon the Politics of the Late Republic, looking at Roman society in the first century BC. Selected works of Cicero will be studied in detail, along with other sources. Greek Theatre will also be revised from Year 12.