This course uses translated literature and is therefore open to students who have not studied Classical Civilisation GCSE. Our small class sizes ensure you have access to all the teaching support you need, tailored to suit your preferred learning styles. Regular teacher surgeries offer additional individual help and support, as required.

Throughout your course, you will have access to exceptional resources to support progress including JSTOR and MASSOLIT for scholarly articles on ancient literature and culture.

A Level content

• The World of the Hero – Through translated versions of either the Iliad or Odyssey (Homer) and the Aeneid (Virgil) you will explore the Trojan War and following events through themes such as heroism, justice, revenge and fate. As you investigate plots and characterisations, you will compare and contrast the different contexts and values of each story.
• Culture and the Arts – You will explore Greek theatre, including its role in religious festivals, theatre design and the development of styles and plots. Oedipus the King tells a tragic tale of a man who unknowingly murders his father and marries his mother. In Bacchae, a second tragedy, you will learn of the terrible repercussions of failing to respect the gods. In the comedy Frogs, you will join Dionysus’ quest to the Underworld to rescue the best tragic poet, accompanied by a chorus of frogs.
• Beliefs and Ideas – In this unit, you will study politics of the late republic, exploring the end of the Roman republic and rise of the Roman Emperors, to highlight key events in the civil war, class conflict and the development of key political ideas.

A Level assessment

• Paper 1: The World of the Hero (40% of the total mark)
• Paper 2: Culture and the Arts (30% of the total mark)
• Paper 3: Beliefs and Ideas (30% of the total mark)