Classical Civilisation

Classical Civilisation offers a wide, varied and fascinating insight into the world of the Greeks and Romans and its influence on modern history, politics, philosophy, literature and society. It is highly regarded by universities and employers alike. 

What skills will students gain?

Students develop their skills in assimilating information, and most importantly, in assessing, analysing and evaluating source material. Through discussion and written essays they develop their ability to structure and organise their ideas to communicate a convincing argument. Pupils are encouraged to read and research independently and to develop their critical thinking skills. They gain an appreciation of different cultures and societies and an understanding of the origins and foundations of the Western world.

The A Level course 

The OCR specification is topic-based. Materials studied include written sources (in translation) and visual and material sources such as coins, statues, buildings.

This subject is offered at A Level only and students enjoy an excellent success rate in final examinations.

Students do not need to have any prior experience of studying Classics or ancient languages.  All that is required is a love of ancient history and literature.

As well as going on to study Classics at universities, recent students have gone on to study subjects as diverse as Law, Modern Languages, English, Archaeology and History of Art. Classical Civilisation is an excellent complement to both humanities and science based courses.

Topics include:

World of the Hero: 

• Homer’s Odyssey – one of the foundation works of western literature, an epic poem packed with lively incident and adventure, but also displaying psychological insight and subtlety. Students will explore the nature of heroism and ancient Greek culture and religion.
• Virgil’s Aeneid – the epic poem which details the founding of Rome itself written with a deep understanding of Homer’s world but placing its story in a contemporary Roman context. It demonstrates through its hero, Aeneas, the difficulties in reconciling glory won through war with its human cost. Did Virgil intend his poem to be taken as Augustan propaganda?

Imperial Image:

• A dive into the fascinating and far reaching political and social developments that changed the Roman world after the death of Julius Caesar during the lifetime of the Emperor Augustus. This module complements study of Aeneid in developing understanding of the social, political and historical context of the time.

Love and Relationships:

• Students explore what relationships were like in the ancient world and whether the idea of ‘love’ was different then compared to now. Gender theory will be explored through the poetry of Sappho and Ovid, as well as the philosophy of Seneca and Plato to give a rich picture of what life was like for men and women living in Greece and Rome.

Co-curricular Activities

We like to provide as many enrichment opportunities as possible.

Recent activities include:

• Residential visit to Pompeii and the Bay of Naples
• Attendance at lectures by subject specialists
• Visits to museums and sites of historical importance in UK
• Attendance at the enrichment days at UK universities such as the Warwick University Ancient Drama Festival
• GDST Pearson and Silver Award for Classics
• Competitions on a range of topics

Classical Civilization is a respected and valuable A Level subject, particularly for students pursuing humanities or related fields, and is often listed as a preferred subject by top ranked universities.