Transcript Slide 1

CSCP
AN INTRODUCTION
TO
CLASSICAL
CIVILISATIONS
Key Stage 3
Rationale
To enable students to:
 Explore and understand how and what we
know about Classical civilisations and their
importance
 Question and discuss issues raised by the
mythology and history of the Classical
civilisations
 Relate those issues to contemporary
situations
Approach
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Ten chapters covering the evidence, a selection
of historical, mythological and literary themes,
and the influence of Classical civilisations on the
later development of Europe and beyond
Inter-chapter ‘active-learning’ sections covering
scientific, cultural and artistic achievements
Accompanying timelines and maps
On-line materials and support
Chapter 1: The Context
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How do we know that the Classical
civilisations existed?
How can we understand the evidence?
Where were the Classical civilisations
located?
When did the various Classical civilisations
flourish?
Opportunities to consider the evidence
and think for yourself
Chapter 2: Socrates & Antigone
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The Individual and the State
The story of Antigone and her fight for
justice
The story of Socrates – was he right to
challenge the authorities?
What questions do the stories of Antigone
and Socrates raise?
What is our relationship with the law?
Chapter 3: The Myth of Rome
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Who were the heroes of Rome? (Aeneas,
Romulus & Remus, Horatius, etc.)
Why did Rome choose these heroes?
The creation of the Roman Brand
How myths are created (American West,
World War II – e.g. Thermopylae/Battle of
Britain – the Few against the Many)
Chapter 4: Helen and Troy –
myth and reality
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The story of Archaeology
Why is Heinrich Schliemann important?
Who was Helen of Troy
Why was this story so important to the
Greeks?
Chapter 5: Dido, Aeneas and
Turnus
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Aeneas’ story – escape from Troy, meeting
Dido, the ‘lost love’, his ‘mission
statement’, arrival in Italy, defeat of
Turnus
What is the Aeneid about? – glorification
of the Roman achievement and the
‘Augustan Brand’
Exploring political spin and branding in
contemporary societies
Chapter 6: Greeks and Persians
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Who were the Persians and how and why
did they become ‘the enemy’?
How did the Athenian Democracy manage
the war?
Why did the Democracy fail?
What is it about the East that bothers the
West so much?
Chapter 7:
Antony and Cleopatra
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Why do they matter?
Who was the real Cleopatra?
Why did she get involved with the Romans?
Who was Antony?
Why was Egypt so important to the Romans?
What would have been different if Antony
and Cleopatra had won?
Myth versus Reality – Antony/Aeneas,
Cleopatra/Dido
Chapter 8: Cretan Stories
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The Minoans on Crete – myth & reality
What destroyed the Minoans?
How was the Palace at Knossos discovered?
What stories are connected to the Palace?
Minoan Art and Minoan Language
Bulls, labyrinths, the Minotaur and
metaphors
Chapter 9:
Britain and the Roman Empire
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What was Britain like?
How did it become part of the Empire?
Caesar and Britain
Octavian becomes Augustus
The Augustan Empire
The ordinary people
Where are today’s empires?
Chapter 10:
Polis to SPQR to EU?
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How the Classical civilisations used their
mythical past to control their present and
their future
The influence of the Classical past on our
present
The roadmap from polis to Roman Empire
to current economic and monetary union
Current Issues
For example:
 East versus West – economics, politics, religion,
culture?
 Branding and ‘spin’ in contemporary political and
cultural contexts
 The individual and the law
 Family loyalty and betrayal – epics and soaps
 What did the Romans & Greeks ever do for us?
Inter-Chapter sections
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Archimedes, Pythagoras
Architecture & the built environment
Astronomy, navigation
Building techniques, roads and water supply
Geometry
Jewellery, coinage
Mathematics
Metallurgy, pottery and other technologies
Military technology