Classical Studies - Classical Works Study Notes

This area of study examines epic poetry, one of the most enduring ancient forms. Students analyse a prescribed work of Greek or Roman epic poetry, exploring its key features, ideas, techniques, and relationship to its socio-historical context. They consider how epic poetry reflects the concerns, beliefs, and values of the society that produced it, and how it explores ideas of identity, heroism, legacy, war, fate, and the place of humans in the world.

This area of study examines the material culture of ancient Greece or Rome. Students analyse a prescribed work or collection of works of material culture, such as buildings, sculptures, or pictorial art, considering their features, techniques, ideas, and relationship to socio-historical context. Through close analysis, students explore how classical societies expressed their culture and ideas through physical and visual displays.

Students analyse a selection of prescribed materials and short written works that reflect a specified key concern of classical culture (such as Classical identities, Power and authority, or War and warfare). They evaluate how works of different forms, genres, and contexts express and exemplify a classical concern, and analyse the significance of these concerns in understanding classical culture.

Students undertake an in-depth comparative study of two prescribed classical works. They analyse and compare the key ideas and techniques in the works, evaluate the relationships between the works and their socio-historical contexts, and construct comparative arguments about similarities and differences in the presentation of ideas and techniques.