BSW GCSE Classical Civilisation
Exam Board: AQA
What is Classical Civilisation?
Classical Civilisation is the study of the Ancient Greek and Roman worlds.
By reading Greek and Roman literature in translation, studying archaeological evidence, other literary evidence, and art and architecture; you will build a picture of how the Romans and Greeks lived. You will learn about different aspects of their society, culture, customs and history and learn to draw parallels and contrasts with your own society, customs and culture.
THE COURSE:
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Paper 1: 1 ½ hours
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Literature in translation
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40% of total marks
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Paper 2: 1 ¾ hours
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Greek and Roman Civilisation
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40 % of total marks
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Coursework
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3 essays approx 750 words each on one of the topics
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20% of total marks
On each paper you will need to answer questions on TWO topics but you will have a choice of at least four topics.
Topics include:
Homer’s Odyssey, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Antigone, Virgil’s Aeneid (literature)
Mycenaean Civilisation (Did the Trojan War really happen?) Greek Religion, Greek Drama, Roman society and entertainment, Pompeii and Herculaneum: the eruption of Vesuvius.
Why Choose Classical Civilisation?
You liked all the ‘background’ topics in Latin (such as gladiators, slavery, eruption of Vesuvius) but you found the study of the language less interesting.
You loved learning about Greek mythology- such as the gods, heroes and the stories about the Trojan war
You enjoy history- investigating the past, making judgments based on evidence, understanding why and how things happen.
You like drama and English: reading and discussing different styles of literature, analysing characters and themes.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ANY LATIN OR GREEK TO STUDY & TO ENJOY CLASSICAL CIVILISATION!