Classical Civilisation (A Level)
Discover the ancient world: A gateway to the modern mind
Classical Civilisation is the story of the Ancient Greek and Roman worlds. The subject covers an enormous range of diverse disciplines: the art, architecture, literature, history, philosophy, politics, and religion of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
CURRICULUM INFORMATION (Classical Civilisation)
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WHAT WILL I BE STUDYING ON THE COURSE?
The first of the three modules is The World Of The Hero. In the first year you will study Homer’s Iliad, which is one of the most famous poems ever written. It is almost 3,000 years old. It is 15,693 lines long and you will study half of its 24 books. It is often considered the foundation of Western civilisation. In breathtaking poetry, it tells the story of just two months of the ten-year Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans. Its cast of gods and demigods includes (but is not limited to): Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena, Aphrodite, Achilles, Helen, and many more. In the words of Robert Fagles and Bernard Knox, it is a paradox: a great work of war that is filled with a profound longing for peace.
The other component of the Hero module is the Aeneid. This great work by Virgil is the story of the foundation of Rome. It was written for the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, and tells of the escape of Aeneas and the other Trojans from the captured city of Troy. The story begins with the stormy voyage to Carthage, in modern-day Tunisia, and the re-telling of the story of the Trojan Horse and the city’s fall. It continues with the doomed affair of Aeneas and Dido, and a dramatic journey by Aeneas to the Underworld, and ends with the Trojans’ arrival in modern-day Italy and their battles with the native Latins. Aeneas is the ancestor of Romulus, who founded Rome. It is many things: a tale of invasion and a conquest; a record of battles between men and between gods; and a justification and glorification of the civilisation of Rome.
The second module is Greek Theatre. The three plays of the module are: Oedipus the King, by Sophocles; The Frogs, by Aristophanes; and Bacchae, by Euripides. All three plays (or adaptations of them) have been performed in London in the past two years. The first is a tragedy of love and murder that also raises profound questions about fate and free will. The second is a comedy of an Underworld journey that ends in a battle of words. The third is a tragedy of the consequences of unchecked passion and violence.
The third and final module is Love and Relationships. The eternal question of the nature of love is discussed by Plato, Sappho, Ovid, Seneca, and many other Greek and Roman poets and philosophers, who were just as much lovers of love as they were lovers of wisdom. Desire, marriage, gender roles and much else are up for discussion; nothing is off the table.
HOW WILL THE COURSE BE ASSESSED?
Assessment is by three written exam papers. Each paper consists of essay style questions and source analysis.
WHICH OTHER SUBJECTS could i study?
A study of Classical Civilisation complements many other popular A Levels, including English Literature, Art, Politics, Philosophy, History, Drama and Theatre, as well as the study of languages.
AND AFTER THE COURSE?
The study of Classical Civilisation encourages you to develop the critical and evaluative skills which will enable you to study a wide range of disciplines in Higher Education. It will not only prepare you for Classics or Ancient History at university, but will enhance your understanding of English Literature, History, Philosophy, Politics or Art.
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