War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.
The study of war and warfare does, however, gives great insight into the Ancient World. At least this is what I found when teaching the OCR GCSE Component 2 paper for Classical Civilisation. Unlike the other two options, the Homeric World and Roman City Life, this paper covers three societies: the Spartans, the Athenians and the Romans, and also – through literature – the Homeric world. As an introduction to the Ancient World therefore, and that is what GCSE is if we’re honest, it showcases the variety of Classics.
The Culture side of the course has its ups and downs. Key strengths, in my opinion, are the battles: Thermopylae, Salamis and Actium are all covered. These are arguably the three most significant battles in ancient history. Any future study of Classics will at the very least touch upon these battles, and pupils will now be able to engage with them. Yes, Thermopylae is perhaps the juiciest, given the blockbuster hit 300, and yes, the naval battles of Salamis and Actium were sometimes confused by pupils, but they are all huge turning points in ancient history. Who can study Classical Athens without knowing about the conflict between them and the Persians? Who can delve into Augustus’ reign without knowing of his triumph against Mark Antony? Pupils will be aptly prepared for future study with these battles under their belts.
Besides the academic value, the battles also include some of the most exhilarating personalities of the past: Leonidas, Themistocles, Artemisia, Cleopatra, Marc Antony and Augustus, all legendary in their own right. Bravery, arrogance, cunning, wealth and ambition are all characteristics to allure and captivate pupils.
As with any course, some parts are more appealing than others. Learning about the training in the Athenian army and navy is simply not as exciting as the Spartan education system and so many pupils dismissed the Athenians as the weaker state. Learning the names of the Roman professionals in the army was tough, though flashcards and ‘who am I?’ games do wonders. When memorising the parts of the Roman camp, we played a memory game ‘I went to the Roman camp and I saw…’ where each pupils added a new thing to the list. Good fun and an excellent learning tool. The Dacian campaigns were a little tricky to add on, but a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum and independent study of different friezes, helped by the V & A’s website, helped a lot. Memorising armour was easy and the visual sources were definitely favoured by a number of pupils who enjoyed learning about artefacts. There is plenty you can do with the course to make it fun, but it does rely heavily on teacher imagination at times.
The Literature side of the course has similar highlights and challenges. Any course that gets pupils reading Homer gets a gold star from me. While the language of the Iliad was at first difficult for some pupils, they soon warmed up to it and loved the storyline: who wouldn’t?! The Aeneid and Tyrtaeus’ poem were also easy for pupils to access and engage with. While I found it a real asset that pupils were considering the difference in heroism between the Homeric Greeks and the Romans, it may be a little too challenging for some candidates. I recommend reading Tyrtaeus alongside studying the Spartan culture side since it fits so perfectly. Some extra Plutarch was also a nice extension. Horace’s Ode, however, was a difficult sell and I don’t really see how and why it is part of this corpus of war poetry.
Many questioned my choice for the War and Warfare option. They did so especially because I teach at a girls’ school. This frustrated me endlessly. This option showcases so much of the Classical World and gives the most variety to pupils exploring the past. In my view, it has all the greatest hits that will prepare you for either Classical Civilisation or Ancient History A level. And if this is all you study of Classics in your entire life, shouldn’t it include the Battle where 300 men faced death knowingly to protect their homemade; and Cleopatra, the most famous woman of the ancient world who ruled her kingdom and seduced Roman leaders; and the Iliad, arguably the first piece of Western literature that teaches us all what it means to be mortal?
