GCSE Classical Civilisation Topics: Full List

GCSE Classical Civilisation explores the literature, history, religion and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. This guide explains how the OCR specification is organised and lists every topic you could study, helping you plan your revision.

Key Takeaways

• GCSE Classical Civilisation is currently offered by OCR.

• You'll study one topic from each of the two component groups.

• Understanding how the course is organised can help you plan your revision more effectively.

• Using the topic list as a revision checklist can help you identify gaps in your knowledge and track your progress.

Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board

GCSE Classical Civilisation is currently offered by OCR. This means all students follow the same OCR specification (J199) (opens in a new tab), although the topics studied will depend on the options chosen by your school.

OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation Topics (J199)

GCSE Classical Civilisation explores the beliefs, literature, history and everyday lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans, helping you understand the cultures that shaped the classical world.

The OCR course is organised into two component groups. You'll study one topic from Component Group 1 and one topic from Component Group 2, so you won't study every option listed below.

Component Group 1: Thematic Study

You'll study one of the following thematic study options. You only need to revise the topic chosen by your school.

Myth and Religion (J199/11)

This thematic study explores the role of mythology and religion in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, examining how beliefs, rituals and stories shaped everyday life and society.

• Gods

  • The major Greek gods and their roles, symbols and representations in art

  • The major Roman gods and their roles, symbols and representations in art

  • Similarities and differences between the Greek and Roman gods

• The Universal Hero: Heracles/Hercules

  • Heracles and the Olympic Games

  • The Twelve Labours of Heracles

  • Heracles in Greek mythology and literature

  • Hercules in Roman mythology and literature

  • Hercules as a protector of Rome

  • The death of Hercules

• Religion and the City: Temples

  • The purpose and layout of Greek and Roman temples

  • Priests, priestesses and religious officials

  • Animal sacrifice and religious worship

  • The Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

  • The Temple of Portunus and the Pantheon

• Myth and the City: Foundation Stories

  • The naming of Athens

  • Theseus and the founding myths of Athens

  • Aeneas and the origins of the Roman people

  • Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome

  • Comparing Theseus and Romulus

• Festivals

  • Greek festivals:

    • The City Dionysia

    • The Great Panathenaia

  • Roman festivals:

    • Lupercalia

    • Saturnalia

• Myth and Symbols of Power

  • Myth as political propaganda

  • The Centauromachy

  • The Amazonomachy

  • The Augustus of Prima Porta

  • The Ara Pacis

• Death and Burial

  • Greek burial customs and funerary rituals

  • Roman burial customs and funerary rituals

  • Festivals for the dead and ancestors

  • Similarities and differences between Greek and Roman practices

• Journeying to the Underworld

  • Persephone and Demeter

  • Orpheus and Eurydice

  • Greek and Roman beliefs about the underworld

  • How journeys to the underworld reflect ancient beliefs

Women in the Ancient World (J199/12)

This thematic study explores the lives, roles and representation of women in ancient Greece and Rome, examining both historical figures and legendary characters.

• Women of Legend

  • Pandora

  • Helen of Troy

  • The Sabine Women

  • Tarpeia

  • Lucretia

  • How myths reflect Greek and Roman ideas about women and female virtue

• Young Women

  • Education and preparation for marriage

  • Marriage customs in Athens

  • Education and marriage in Sparta

  • Education for Roman girls

  • Roman marriage customs and different types of marriage

• Women in the Home

  • The roles and responsibilities of wives

  • Childbirth and family life

  • Legal rights, property ownership, divorce and adultery

  • The lives of female slaves

  • Comparisons between women in Athens, Sparta and Rome

• 'Improper' Women

  • The roles and status of prostitutes and courtesans

  • Laws and attitudes towards 'improper' women

  • Women at the symposium

  • Neaira and Aspasia

  • Clodia ('Lesbia') and Cytheris (Lycoris)

• Women and Religion

  • Priestesses and prophetesses

  • Women's roles in religious festivals and state cults

  • Women in funerary rituals

  • The Vestal Virgins

  • The Sibyl

  • Religion as a source of influence for women

• Women and Power

  • Women's exclusion from political life

  • The Athenian Assembly

  • Assemblywomen by Aristophanes

  • The trial of Agnodice

  • The Roman Senate

  • The repeal of the Oppian Law

  • Sempronia and the Catilinarian Conspiracy

• Warrior Women

  • Penthesilea and the Amazons

  • Camilla in Virgil's Aeneid

  • How female warriors are presented in Greek and Roman culture

• Women to be Feared

  • Medea

  • Cleopatra VII

  • Cleopatra's relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony

  • The Battle of Actium

  • How powerful women are portrayed as political and military threats

Component Group 2: Literature and Culture

You'll study one of the following literature and culture options. You only need to revise the topic chosen by your school.

The Homeric World (J199/21)

This literature and culture study explores life in the Mycenaean world alongside Homer's Odyssey, helping you understand both the archaeological evidence and the stories that shaped ancient Greek culture.

• Key sites

  • The dating of the Mycenaean Age

  • The locations and importance of Mycenae, Tiryns and Troy

  • The layout and structure of Mycenae and Tiryns

  • Evidence for Homer's Troy

• Life in the Mycenaean Age

  • Palaces and the megaron

  • Everyday life, including hunting, warfare, clothing and trade

  • Linear B tablets

  • What the tablets reveal about Mycenaean society

• Decorative Arts

  • Frescoes and their techniques and designs

  • Jewellery and metalworking

  • Decorative objects and figurines

  • Ivory carving and votive offerings

• Tombs, Graves and Burial

  • Burial customs

  • Shaft, cist, tholos and chamber tombs

  • Funerary objects

  • Grave Circles A and B at Mycenae

• Homer's Odyssey

  • Odysseus' journey home

  • Palace life and hospitality

  • The roles of gods and heroes

  • The portrayal of women

  • Revenge, justice and punishment

  • The battle with the suitors

Roman City Life (J199/22)

This literature and culture study explores everyday life in Roman cities during the Imperial period, examining homes, society, entertainment and the experiences of different groups of people.

• Roman Housing

  • Life in apartments (insulae)

  • The layout and decoration of a Roman domus

  • Living conditions for rich and poor Romans

  • Comparing different types of housing

• The Roman Home and Family

  • The role of the paterfamilias

  • Patrons and clients

  • The education of Roman children

    • Teachers and stages of education

    • Subjects studied

    • School equipment

    • Preparing for adult life

  • The Roman dinner party (cena)

• Society

  • Citizenship and social class

  • Senators and equites

    • Roles, responsibilities and privileges

  • Slaves and freedmen

    • Becoming a slave

    • Domestic and public slaves

    • Manumission and the status of freedmen

• Leisure and Entertainment

  • Amphitheatres and gladiatorial games

    • The Colosseum

    • Types of spectacles

    • Gladiators and their training

    • Audience participation

  • Chariot racing

    • The Circus Maximus

    • Racing teams, drivers and horses

    • Public support and rivalry

  • Theatre

    • Theatre buildings, sets, masks and costumes

    • Roman comedy, mime and pantomime

    • Actors and their social status

  • Public baths

    • The design of Roman bath complexes

    • Bathing and social activities

    • The palaestra

War and Warfare (J199/23)

This literature and culture study explores warfare in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, examining military organisation, key battles and the impact of war on society.

• Sparta at War in the 5th Century BC

  • The structure of Spartan society and its influence on the military

  • The training and recruitment of Spartan soldiers

    • The agoge and syssitia

  • Spartan weapons, tactics and battle formations

  • The organisation and command of the Spartan army

  • The roles of the perioeci and helots

  • The importance of warfare in Spartan society

  • The Battle of Thermopylae

    • Key events and individuals

    • The significance and commemoration of the battle

• Athens at War in the 5th Century BC

  • Recruitment, training and funding of the Athenian army and navy

  • Athenian weapons, tactics and battle formations

  • The organisation and command of the army and navy

  • The impact of the military on Athenian politics and society

  • The Battle of Salamis

    • Key events and individuals

    • The significance and commemoration of the battle

• The Roman Military in the Imperial Period

  • Recruitment, training and funding of the Roman army and navy

  • The organisation and command of the Roman military

  • Legionary fortresses and the structure of a legion

  • Roman weapons, tactics and battle formations

• The Romans at War

  • The Battle of Actium

    • Key events and individuals

    • The significance and commemoration of the battle

  • Trajan's Dacian Wars

    • Causes of the campaign

    • The portrayal of warfare in Roman art and material culture

    • Trajan's image as emperor

    • The pursuit of military glory

    • The human impact of war

Which exam papers cover these topics?

Save My Exams offers GCSE Classical Civilisation Past Papers to help you become familiar with the exam structure and the types of questions you may be asked.

How to Use Topic Lists for Revision

Topic lists are most useful when they become part of a revision plan rather than simply a checklist.

Start by identifying which two topics your school has chosen, as you'll only need to revise one option from each component group. Then identify the areas you feel most confident with and those that need more attention. Breaking larger topics into smaller sections can make revision feel more manageable.

Many students find it helpful to:

• Use the topic list to create a revision timetable.

• Tick off topics as they revise them.

• Identify weaker areas that need additional practice.

• Combine topic revision with exam-style questions.

• Revisit more challenging topics regularly.

As you complete each topic, ask yourself whether you could explain the key people, myths, historical events and literary texts without looking at your notes. If not, it's worth revisiting that topic before moving on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to revise all GCSE Classical Civilisation topics for the exam?

You should revise every topic included in your course. However, because OCR offers a choice of components, you'll only need to revise the two topics your school has chosen.

Are these topics the same across all exam boards?

GCSE Classical Civilisation is currently only offered by OCR, so all students follow the same specification. However, the topics studied may differ depending on the options chosen by each school.

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

Use the topic list as a checklist and complete practice questions for each topic. The areas where you make the most mistakes are the ones to prioritise in your revision.

Do all topics come up in every exam paper?

No. You'll sit two exam papers, each covering one of the two topics chosen by your school: one from Component Group 1 and one from Component Group 2.

Final Thoughts

Understanding how GCSE Classical Civilisation is organised can make your revision much more manageable. Although the topic lists may seem long at first, remember that you'll only need to revise the two topics chosen by your school.

Once you know which topics are included in your course, you can create a clear revision plan, monitor your progress and make sure you've covered everything you need before exam day. By working through each topic systematically and practising with exam-style questions, you'll be well prepared for your exams. Good luck with your revision!

References:

• GCSE - Classical Civilisation (9-1) - J199 (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge OCR Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9-1) in Classical Civilisation Specification (opens in a new tab)