Academic/Subject Departments

Classical Civilisation

Enjoying being Romans in the Minimus Club

Interest in the ancient world, in particular the culture of the ancient Greeks and Romans, remains high and shows that it is still felt to have a relevance to us today. Classical Civilisation offers girls the opportunity to study this culture, but by reading the works of ancient authors in English translation, rather than through studying them in the original language.

The course involves a good deal of reading. Girls study not only works of literature but also other sources, such as extracts from speeches in court cases, letters and philosophical works. They develop their skills in assimilating information, and most importantly in assessing, analysing and evaluating source material. Through the writing of essays they develop their ability to structure and organise their ideas to produce a convincing argument. Girls are encouraged to read and research independently and to develop their critical thinking skills.

The subject is topic-based, with girls studying specific aspects of the society, history and literature of the Greeks and Romans. “Women in Ancient Athens and Rome” is a fascinating topic, always provoking lively discussion and argument. “Homer’s Odyssey” gives girls the chance to study one of the foundation works of western literature, a story packed full of lively incident and adventure, but also displaying psychological insight and subtlety. In “Greek Tragedy” among the plays studied is Sophocles’ King Oedipus, surely one of the most famous, and deeply moving, plays of all time. “Virgil’s Aeneid” raises questions concerning the nature of heroism, the conflict between the desire for personal happiness and the demands of duty, and the nature of Roman imperialism.

In Pompeii during our visit to Italy

The subject is offered at A-level only. Students enjoy a good success rate in the examinations, with the majority of candidates scoring higher grades. As well as studying Classics, recent students have gone on to study subjects as diverse as Law, Modern Languages, English and History of Art at University.