Numbers for Latin and Classical Civilisation are at a record high amongst the L6th, with 35 students forming the total A-Level cohort.
This has naturally led to an increased uptake of students opting for an EPQ based on either Latin or Classical Civilisation. Below are some of the areas being researched by students in the L6th.
The department is glad that these students are so keen to go above and beyond the content of the curricula, and cannot wait to read their final EPQ submissions.
Mr Morrison (Teacher of Classics)
Ben (Lower Sixth)
I have chosen my EPQ with a classical focus because I have a curiosity for the subject and would like to extend my knowledge above and beyond the prescribed syllabus, mainly focusing on the expansion of the topic I completed for GCSE: “War and Warfare”. The question I have chosen to look into is: ‘to what extent is Sparta responsible for the Peloponnesian War?’
Hilla (Lower Sixth)
I have thoroughly enjoyed starting the Classical Civilisation A-level course this year, studying Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ and Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus Rex’. As I found my preliminary study of tragedy fascinating, I decided to focus my EPQ on women in ancient Greek tragedy. My project addresses the question of why women were given such considerable space in Greek tragedy, which was performed exclusively by men, and to audiences with a male majority. Only one out of thirty two surviving plays have no female characters and female tragic choruses outnumber male choruses twenty one to ten! I intend to discuss tragedies with central female characters, such as Euripides’ ‘Medea’ and Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’.
Molly (Lower Sixth)
My EPQ title is: ‘What would have been the linguistic consequences of the Amber Road passing through today’s west Germany instead of today’s Poland? Essentially, I’m creating three phases of a language which is the combination of Polabian (an extinct Germanic language) and Latin, based on the hypothetical situation of the Amber Road passing through West Germany (where Polabian was located) instead of Poland.
Caspar (Lower Sixth)
For my EPQ, I will be writing and performing a play largely inspired by the playwrights Publius Terentius Afer (Terence) and Lucius Annaeus Seneca, and their contributions to theatre in Ancient Rome. I take Drama, Latin, and English for A-Level, and therefore I found this project to be a great way to implement all three aspects of my lessons into my EPQ. I have chosen two plays to study in particular. I chose ‘Phormio’, written by Terence, and ‘Oedipus’, written by Seneca, and I have analysed these scripts’ themes and ideas, as well as their linguistic techniques. Upon completing the script, I will then gather a group of actors to rehearse, and eventually perform this play, with me as the director. I am hoping to perform this in the Fiennes Theatre when it has been completed.
Mathilda (Lower Sixth)
The title of my EPQ is ‘to design and make a dress inspired by fashion in the ancient world.’ I loved doing Classics at GCSE and am thoroughly enjoying my A-level so far, so I knew I wanted to do a classically inspired EPQ. The history of fashion has always interested me, as it is reflected in modern fashion today, so I am hoping to design a dress that takes some of the key components of the Greek chiton and the Roman stola, and combines them with modern ideas to create a unique dress.
Ariadne (Lower Sixth)
I am writing my EPQ on a discussion about the ways in which Ovid represents and talks about women in his ‘Metamorphoses’. I find this topic really interesting as it has an element of controversy since many people argue that Ovid is one of the more sympathetic writers of the ancient world. This EPQ topic has helped me widen my reading for my Classics A level and I thoroughly enjoy discovering new perspectives on the subject. I also love taking Classics A level – it is by far my favourite subject.
Dan (Lower Sixth)
I intend to explore the nature of historical sources and what can be deemed accurate historical sources. To achieve this, I have honed in on the relationship between Classical Civilisation and videogames, as many modern day game developers look to ancient history for inspiration. Throughout my EPQ, I hope to explore this relationship deeply and answer the question, ‘to what extent can videogames be deemed as accurate historical sources of the ancient world?’
Sas (Lower Sixth)
My EPQ is centred around Herodotus’ ‘Histories’, and I am exploring the Greek identity through mirror image throughout the Greco-Persian wars. Through reading, listening, and writing, I am gaining a massive insight into Greek views and intricate detail from scholars and historians about the characterisation and history of the wars. During the project, I am finding out how the Persians are characterised, the portrayal of the ‘barbarian’ and alterity throughout the book.
Madeleine (Lower Sixth)
My EPQ question ‘to what extent is Helen of Troy misrepresented and maligned by Homer in his epics?’ will cover many subject areas, exploring how Helen of Troy was maligned, objectified, and portrayed in a certain way just because of her beauty, and not recognised in her own right as an autonomous or independent figure. I will also assess the validity of Homer’s interpretation of Helen of Troy and how her actions have influenced literature and art throughout history. As a result of this, much of my research is taken from a classical perspective; I am not considering Helen of Troy as a real person, but as a cultural construct.
Georgia (Lower Sixth)
My EPQ is a dissertation and within it I am exploring the discovery of mental illness at the time of the Ancient Greeks, focusing on the influence of Hippocrates and Plato, but further researching what they believed was the correct way to treat these mental illnesses. My exact question is ‘what impact did the Ancient Greeks have on modern day therapeutic methods for treating depression and are the methods still valid today?’.
Hughie (Lower Sixth)
By linking Hogarth to my mural on the social divide in London, I aim to reflect modern day morals (or lack thereof) with those of the past. Likewise, classics parallels modern day culture with that of ancient civilisations and the Classics department have been an enormous help in making this connection. I have reflected on the social divide within ancient cultures, and how this has filtered into modern-day society, as well as looking to the mythological inspiration behind many of Hogarth’s paintings.
Will Roberts (Lower Sixth)
My EPQ is about creating illustrations on the story of Hercules using digital art. I am going to draw Hercules’ 12 labours through digital art. The areas I have been looking at are the story of Hercules, mainly the 12 labours, and I have also been comparing his story from mythology to the Disney movie ‘Hercules’ and exploring how the movie isn’t accurate. I have also looked at previous depictions of Hercules to use as references for my own illustrations.
Grace (Lower Sixth)
The research topic I have chosen for my EPQ is ‘to what extent was life for a slave worse than that of a freedman in the ancient world?’. To answer this question, I shall research how slaves lived their lives in Ancient Greece, focusing on their treatment and what was expected of them. I shall compare this information to the obligations of freedmen and conventions in ancient Greek society. This topic really intrigues me as the idea that a freed person is worse off than a slave is something we just cannot imagine.