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What did the Romans – and for that matter, the Greeks, ever do for us? Well, apart from enduring political and architectural structures and the thinking that lies at the base of Europe, they also shaped the mind of Europe through their philosophy, literature, art and culture. And, of course, in the case of the Romans, they passed on to us the austere precision and clarity of their language, Latin – still the lingua franca of the Roman Catholic Church to this day.
All pupils study Latin in Key Stage 3, with many electing to continue this into GCSE and beyond. Through the study of Latin, pupils’ curiosity, interest and enjoyment of the Ancient World is stimulated through its language, culture and history. Not only this, but pupils will develop an appropriate competence in the language, in addition to disciplining the mind with logical thought through the study of an inflected language.
The law, civilisation and literature of Rome have exercised a profound influence on modern society and upon the English language. Learning about Rome is not only fascinating; it is invaluable for anyone who hopes to possess a sound understanding of the modern world. At university it is an advantage for undergraduates in law, English, history and modern languages.
It is a subject which is held in very high esteem by employers in a wide range of professions.
Pupils who opt for Latin will also get the chance to study Classical Greek.
Outline of Syllabus
The syllabus covers two areas: the language itself and Latin Literature through a selection of prose and verse texts.
Language: Candidates are expected to translate two passages of Latin into English, as well answering comprehension questions on these passages.
Literature: Candidates are expected to answer questions showing understanding of prose and verse texts studied during the course. The prose authors include Caesar, Cicero and Tacitus and the verse authors Horace, Martial, Catullus, Virgil and Ovid.
Scheme of Assessment
There are three written papers covering the following elements:
Language (Translation and Comprehension) 25 %
Prose Literature 25 %
Verse Literature 25 %
Awarding Body: OCR Specification: GCSE Latin J282
