CLASSICAL CIVILISATION A LEVEL AND AS LEVEL COURSES

Classical Civilisation

Classical Civilisation focusses on the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome, involving the study of their literature, art and history. Our students develop a keen interest in the ancient world and its cultures and gain a fresh perspective on the modern world. The study of Classical Civilisation not only provides specific Classical knowledge, but also skills relating to critical analysis and formulating arguments.

Course outline

AS level

Component 1: The World of the Hero

An in-depth study of either Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey

  • Literary techniques and composition
  • The heroic world: characterisation and themes
  • The social, cultural and religious context

Component Group 2: Culture and the Arts

Greek Theatre

  • Drama and the theatre in ancient Athenian society
  • Nature of tragedy
  • Nature of (old) comedy
  • Literary techniques, structure, and dramatic conventions
  • Social, political and religious themes in tragedy
  • Social, political and religious themes in comedy

Imperial Image

  • Divi filius
  • Imperator
  • ‘Augustus’
  • Culture hero
  • Pater Patriae
  • Later representations

A level

Component 1: The World of the Hero

An in-depth study of one of Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid

  • Literary techniques and composition
  • The heroic world: characterisation and themes
  • The social, cultural and religious context
  • Historical and political background

Component Group 2: Culture and the Arts

Greek Theatre

  • Drama and the theatre in ancient Athenian society
  • Nature of tragedy
  • Nature of (old) comedy
  • Literary techniques, structure, and dramatic conventions
  • Social, political and religious themes in tragedy
  • Social, political and religious themes in comedy

Imperial Image

  • Divi filius
  • Imperator
  • ‘Augustus’
  • Culture hero
  • Pater Patriae
  • Later representations

Invention of the Barbarian

  • Greek identity
  • The Persian Wars and Greek (dis)unity
  • Greeks and barbarians
  • Depictions and portrayals; mythical barbarians
  • Depictions and portrayals; historical barbarians
  • The reality of Persia

Greek Art

  • Function
  • Materials
  • Techniques
  • Stylistic features and development
  • Composition
  • Subject matter

Component Group 3: Beliefs and Ideas

Greek Religion

  • The nature of the Olympian gods
  • Personal experience of the divine
  • Religion and society
  • Places of worship
  • Rituals and priests
  • Religion and philosophy

Love and Relationships

  • Men and women
  • Plato on love and desire
  • Seneca on love and desire
  • Sappho
  • Ovid
  • Love and relationships in poetry

Politics of the Late Republic

  • The background of the late Republic
  • Cato and the politics of the optimates
  • Caesar as popularis and dictator
  • Cicero and the res publica
  • Cicero as orator: In Verrem 1
  • Cicero as correspondent: Selected Letters

Democracy and the Athenians

  • Solon
  • Cleisthenes
  • 5th Century developments
  • Democracy idealised
  • Democracy critiqued
  • Democracy and comedy

Assesment

AS level

Component 1

  • 65 marks
  • 1 hour 30 minutes written paper
  • 50% of total AS level

Component 2

  • Assessment of one of the two components in the component group 2
  • 65 marks
  • 1 hour 30 minutes written paper
  • 50% of total AS level

A level

Component 1

  • 100 marks
  • 2 hours 20 minutes written paper
  • 40% of total A level

Component 2

  • Assessment of one of the four components in the component group 2
  • 75 marks
  • 1 hour 45 minutes written paper
  • 30% of total A level

Component 3

  • Assessment of one of the four components in the component group 3
  • 75 marks
  • 1 hour 45 minutes written paper
  • 30% of total A level

Specification

Teachers will choose the examination board for students joining in Year 12 based on their expertise and specialist knowledge. For Year 13 and retake students, teachers will continue students’ studies with AQA, Edexcel/Pearson, OCR or WJEC/Eduqas. Please note that we do not offer CIE but can more than map to one of the boards listed.

Teachers

Peter Olive
BA (Oxford), PhD candidate

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Student studying for her A-Levels
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Westminster Tutors is one of the oldest and best independent sixth form colleges in London. Established in 1934, our culture of scholastic excellence is deeply embedded and sets the standard for other colleges to follow.