year 10 – Classical Civilisation

Head of Subject: Mr C Bromley

Intended Outcomes

Year 10 will focus on a comprehensive study of Myth and Religion in ancient Greece and Rome, ranging from Foundation Stories and Festivals to Symbols of Power and Journeying to the Underworld. Skills acquired and refined during Year 10 Classics will centre around source analysis and interpretation, with greater emphasis on literary sources, and forming critical arguments using contextual understanding of antiquity. 

  • Course Implementation

    Foundation Stories and Festivals 

    This module will look at the mythic origins of Athens and Rome using primary sources, and the religious festivals held to honour specific deities, using case studies in the form of the Panathenaia, City Dionysia, Lupercalia and Saturnalia. Students will be assessed using an open-book knowledge retrieval test, focusing on comprehension and both visual and literary source analysis questions. 

    Myths and Symbols of Power 

    The activities in this module centre around study of the links between myth and portrayal of power, including how and why Greek and Roman myths are presented in art to demonstrate power, and the significance of where it was sited/displayed. Students will be assessed using a closed-book visual source analysis test on the comparative significance of the Amazonomachy, Centauromachy, Augustus of Prima Porta and Ara Pacis. 

    Death and Burial 

    This module will look at the practices and beliefs surrounding death and burial in ancient Greece and Rome, from the preparation and funerary procession of the body to the burial, festivals and significance of the process. Students will be assessed using a closed-book literary and visual source analysis test on the Greek and Roman death and burial process. 

    Journeying to the Underworld 

    In this module, students will study myths about journeys to the underworld, as told by Homer and Ovid, including details of the myth and its plot; portrayal of characters; portrayal of the underworld; how the set texts depict and reflect ancient culture. Students will be assessed using a closed-book literary source analysis test on the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and Ovid’s Metamorphoses. 

    Sparta at War in the 5th Century BCE 

    The activities in this module centre around study of Spartan society structure/composition, and how this influenced the military, training and recruitment of the Spartan army, including the equipment, tactics and formation used in battle, and the structure, organisation and command of the army. Students will be assessed using a closed-book visual source analysis test on Sparta at War in the 5th Century BCE, with emphasis on the events and individuals of the battle of Thermopylae as a case study. 

Learning Impact

At the conclusion of Year 10 study, students will sit a mock trial exam, assessing their retention of key knowledge of Myth and Religion in the Classical time period across all units. This knowledge will be tested using multiple and varied visual and literary source questions, so that each student’s skills in critical interpretation and analysis are assessed in line with the exam’s board’s two key objectives. This will be reported to parent/carers through termly data drops and Parents’ Evenings, with half-termly communication of assessment data for students who are under-performing or exceeding expectations. 

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