GCSE Mock Preparation
Classical Civilisation
You will sit three one hour examinations during mocks:
Unit 1: Greece and Rome: Stories and Histories
Topic: Athens and Sparta (1C)
1 hour – 46 marks
Unit 2: Greece and Rome: Drama and Life
Topic: Greek Tragedy and Drama Festivals (2A)
1 hour – 46 marks
Unit 3: Greece and Rome: Conflict and Carnage
Topic: Vigil, Aeneid (3B)
1 hour – 46 marks
Remember that the actual examinations have a number of topic options, but for the sake
of the environment (paper waste) your mock papers will just have your topic option.
It is important you prepare for the mocks as they provide an essential gauge of where
you are at with the June examinations just around the corner. They also provide
experience of the conditions you will work under in June.
Revise and revise well. Draw up a revision timetable at the beginning of the Christmas
break. Rather than sitting down and revising for five hours at a time, do little amounts
often i.e. focus on an element of a topic for 30-40 minutes then take a 20 minute break.
This will ensure your revision is focused and effective.
What follows is a guide for you to follow as you revise each of the three topics.
Topic: Athens and Sparta (1C)
Education
Athenian system - schools, paidogogos, Sophists, higher education (cultural/academic)
Spartan system – agoge, treatment of boys, paidonomos, militaristic
Focus Questions:
 What was the focus of traditional education in Athens?
 Who were the Sophists?
 How did the Athenian education system differ to that of the Spartans?
Women
Upbringing, marriage, education, role/position
Focus Questions:
 How dangerous was birth?
 Why did the birth of a child increase the status of a wife?
 Why were some children ‘exposed’?
 What was the purpose of marriage?
 What was an Athenian wedding like?
 What was the role of women?
Everyday life in Athens
Houses, clothing, dinner parties
Focus Questions:
 What did private homes look like?
 How did the Athenians dress?
 What did the Athenians eat and drink?
 What happened at an Athenian dinner party?
 What was the nature of children’s festivals?
 Why were burials so important?
 How did the Athenians approach their funerals?
 What did the cults of the dead involve?
The Spartan army
Mess clubs, weapons, uniform
Focus Questions:
 Why were the Spartans so militaristic?
 What were the different stages of military preparation for Spartan males?
 What function did the mess clubs serve?
 Why were the Spartans so successful in war?
Work
Athens - citizens, Metics, Slaves
Sparta - Spartiatai, Perioikoi, Helots
Focus Questions:
Athens:
 How did someone qualify for citizenship?
 What were the duties and privileges of a citizen?
 What was the Agora?
 What were the functions of the Council of 500, Executive Committee, state
officers and generals?
 What was the status of the metics?
 Where slaves come from?
 What type of work did slaves do?
 How were slaves treated?
 What sort of life did farmers have?
Sparta:
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How did the Spartan world of work differ to the Athenians?
How did the Spartan function?
Who were the Spartiatai and Perioikoi?
How important were the Helots to Sparta?
How did Sparta control the Helots?
Topic: Greek Tragedy and Drama Festivals (2A)
Theatre:
The City Dionysia including preparations, choregoi, judging, preliminary rituals,
processions, the programme and final review
Theatre buildings including their layout, design and purpose
The actors, their costumes, masks and props
The role and composition of the Chorus
Mechanical and other special effects such as the ekkyklema and mechane
Focus Questions:
 What was the festival of the Dionysia?
 What were Greek theatres like?
 What was the role of the Chorus?
 What sorts of costumes were worn?
 What function did masks serve?
 What were the common themes of tragedy?
 Who were the famous tragedians?
 What mechanical and special effects were used in Greek theatre?
Medea – you will need to reread the play.
The characterisation of Medea
Justification for Medea’s actions
The role of the Chorus in Medea
Comparison and contrast of the roles played by Jason, Creon and Aegeus
Contribution of the minor characters, e.g. the Nurse, the Tutor, the Messenger, to the
action of the play
Focus Questions:
 Who are the main characters in Medea?
 What is the context of the story?
 What is the main action of Medea?
 How does Medea jutify her actions?
 What role do the Chorus carry out in Medea?
 How far are the roles played by Jason, Creon and Aegeus the same in Medea?
 What do the roles of the minor characters in Medea bring to the play?
 How far is Medea connected to the role of women in Athenian society?
 What are the main themes of Medea?
Topic: Virgil, Aeneid (3B)
You will need to reread the story.
The character of Aeneas - his patriotism, his loyalty to the gods, his family and his men,
his weaknesses.
The Fall of Troy - the parts played by Fate, the gods, Aeneas, Laocoon, Sinon,
Cassandra, Coroebus, Priam, Pyrrhus
Dido – character, the reasons for her death and an analysis of where the blame for her
death should lie
The characters of the gods and the reasons and consequences of their actions
The portrayal of female characters both divine and human
The portrayal of the Underworld
The use of prophecy - Jupiter’s speech in Book 1, the ghosts of Hector, Creusa and
Anchises in Book 6
Virgil’s narrative and literary techniques, to include - use of speeches, first person
narrative, flashback, similes and imagery
Focus Questions:
 What sort of character is Aeneas?
 How did Troy fall?
 What sort of character is Dido?
 Who should be blamed for Dido’s death?
 Why do the gods behave as they do and what is the consequence of their actions?
 How is the Underworld portrayed?
 How is prophecy used in the story?
 How effective is the narrative and literary techniques employed by Virgil?