GCSE Latin Topics by Exam Board: Full List

Are you thinking about taking GCSE Latin? If you are, you’ll want to know exactly what’s involved. Or, perhaps you’re revising for it and need a checklist of topics that may be covered in the exam. 

This guide will deliver everything you need. We provide a full list of GCSE Latin topics by exam board, covering all the necessary grammar, vocabulary, set texts, and civilisation topics in the specification. 

Key Takeaways

• Only two exam boards offer GCSE Latin: OCR and Eduqas (WJEC)

• GCSE Latin is divided into three main areas: language (grammar and translation), literature (set texts), and civilisation (Roman culture and history)

• Understanding the topics will help you revise smarter 

Introduction

GCSE Latin is a fascinating subject that combines decoding-style language work with ancient Roman history. 

The course is structured around three core elements: 

• Language skills (understanding grammar and translating Latin into English)

• Literature (studying Roman texts in their original language)

• Civilisation (exploring Roman history, culture, and daily life)

Knowing exactly what topics you need to cover, and which exam paper they'll appear in, keeps you on top of the course. 

Which Exam Boards Offer GCSE Latin?

Each exam board organises these elements slightly differently, but they test the same skills. Two exam boards offer GCSE Latin in the UK. These are OCR (opens in a new tab) and Eduqas (WJEC) (opens in a new tab). 

OCR

OCR is the most popular. It’s used by the majority of schools teaching Latin. It divides the GCSE into two separate papers: 

Eduqas

Eduqas has three papers that offer several optional tasks. 

GCSE Latin Topics

Whatever exam board your school uses, you'll study three main categories of content. Let's explore what each board studies in detail.

OCR GCSE Latin Topics

1.Language 

This is a compulsory component. It teaches you core Latin skills through unseen translation and comprehension passages.You (opens in a new tab)’ll learn vocabulary and linguistic structures using lists that help you translate English sentences into the ancient language. You’ll be given a defined and restricted vocabulary and grammar list (opens in a new tab) to revise. 

You’ll learn to:

• translate an unseen passage of confected or adapted Latin

• understand and respond to unseen passages of Latin

• understand the derivation of English words from Latin

and either

• translate short sentences from English into Latin drawn from the Restricted Vocabulary List (RVL) and the Restricted Syntax and Accidence list

or

• recognise, analyse and explain syntax and accidence, as defined below, using the Syntax and Accidence list

2.Prose literature and verse literature 

These are optional components. You'll study set texts from Roman authors, with questions testing comprehension, translation, and literary analysis.

Set texts change every couple of years. 

For 2026 they include: 

• Oxford Latin Anthology: Vice and Virtue

• Cambridge Latin Anthology: Messalina

• Cambridge Latin Anthology: Baucis et Philemon

• Oxford Classical Text: Virgil, Aeneid

For 2027 they include: 

• Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights

• Pliny Letters

• Apuleius, Metamorphoses Book V,

• Ovid, Metamorphoses 

• Virgil, Aeneid

3.Literature and culture

In this component you’ll study literature and ancient source materials (opens in a new tab). 

For 2026 the topics are:

• Entertainment:

  • The Amphitheatre: in Pompeii, the Colosseum, types of Gladiators

  • The Theatre at Pompeii: scenery and props, actors, plays

  • The Circus Maximus and Chariot Racing: the structure, charioteers and races

  • Dinner parties: the triclinium, entertainment at dinner

• Myths and Beliefs:

  • Roman Gods: Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, Vulcan, Vesta, Pluto, Mercury and their roles

  • State Religion: Temple of Jupiter in Pompeii, sacrifices

  • Beliefs in the After-Life: tombs in Pompeii, beliefs about life after death.

  • Aeneas, Romulus and Remus: the exile from Troy, visit to the underworld, Romulus and Remus found Rome

The set topics for 2027 and 2028 will be:

• Myths and Beliefs 

and

• The Romans in Britain:

  • Roman Army Camp layout, life in camp including training

  • Roman Roads Construction, principal routes across Britain

  • Roman Villas Villa buildings, the villa estate

  • Roman Bath Layout of the bath complex, links with religion

Eduqas GCSE Latin Topics

1.Latin Language

In this section you’ll learn to:

• Recognise and use the vocabulary, accidence and syntax listed in the Defined Vocabulary List (opens in a new tab) (DVL)

• Translate a passage of Latin prose into English and answer questions on it

• Demonstrate knowledge of the derivation links between Latin and English

• Translate short sentences from English into Latin using the prescribed DVL or

• Recognise, analyse and explain the prescribed syntax and accidence within a short passage of Latin

The focus is on written Latin. 

2.Latin Literature and Sources

In this topic you’ll have some prescribed passages from which to: 

• Select, analyse and respond to aspects of literary style including such elements as:

  • choice of words and word order

  • sound effects

  • rhythm in verse passages

  • common literary devices (such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, asyndeton and chiasmus)

  • show awareness of the cultural and social context of the prescribed material.

  • select and evaluate evidence from throughout the theme to respond to an

Up until 2026 the themes are: 

• Romans in the Countryside

• Love and Marriage

From 2027 the themes will centre around:

• Heroes and Villains 

• Food and Dining in the Roman World

Prescribed authors include:

• Selections from Virgil, Ovid, and other major poets

• Prose extracts from historians and letter-writers

• Questions test translation, comprehension, and literary appreciation

You’ll study prescribed ancient source materials like paintings, mosaics, sculptures, buildings, graffiti, too. 

3.Roman Civilisation

Here, there are two components: 

Component 3A

In this topic, you’ll learn how to understand, analyse and evaluate narrative Latin literature alongside a passage or passages of narrative in English. For 2026 and 2027, you may study authors like Livy and Virgil. 

You’ll explore and evaluate: 

• Cultural and social context

• Choice of words and word order

  • sound effects

  • rhythm in verse passages

  • literary devices (such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, asyndeton and chiasmus)

Component 3B

For this topic, you’ll learn about an aspect of Roman civilisation. You’ll

• Analyse and respond to ancient source material

• Evaluate evidence for an extended evaluative question

For 2026, topics include:

• Roman family life

  • Men and women

  • Children

  • Education

  • Marriage

  • Family religion

and

• The city of Rome

  • The beginnings of the city

  • A city of contrasts

  • Life in the city of Rome

  • Buildings and monuments – design, construction and purpose

  • The fora

From 2027, topics include:

• Slavery in the Roman world

  • The road to enslavement

  • Lives of enslaved people

  • Rights and responsibilities

  • Resistance to slavery

  • Freedom

 and

• Roman festivals and worship

  • Major Roman Festivals: origins, rites and celebrations

  • Major Roman temples and religious buildings

  • Priests, priestesses and religious officials

  • Private religion: worship in the home

  • Honouring the dead

You can find more details on this in Appendix A, B and C (opens in a new tab). 

Sources you may study can be found in the Cambridge Latin Course (opens in a new tab) material. 

How To Use GCSE Latin Topic Lists

Think of topic lists as your Roman revision roadmap! 

Start by printing out or writing out the complete list for your exam board. As you revise each topic, tick it off. 

This visual progress tracker shows you exactly where you stand and prevents that panicky feeling of "I don't even know what I don't know."

Create a traffic light system: 

• Green for topics you're confident with

• Amber for topics needing more work

• Red for topics you find really challenging

Focus your revision schedule around amber and red topics. 

Use the topic list to organise your notes. This makes finding information faster. 

Tips for Revising GCSE Latin Topics

Master vocabulary and grammar systematically 

Create themed vocabulary lists (family words, military terms, government vocabulary) rather than random lists. Using flashcards will help you. Use different colours to make it more interesting. 

You can do this for grammar, too. Summarise key constructions. Include the construction, how to recognise it, and how to translate it. Keep this sheet handy when translating.

Drill grammar relentlessly

Create verb tables for each tense. Regularly conjugate verbs out loud. Test yourself on noun endings by writing out tables from memory. Focus especially on subjunctive constructions, which many students find tricky. 

Check out our expert tips on memorisation techniques. 

Practise unseen translation weekly 

Find passages you've never seen before and translate them. Careful with misidentifying verb tenses, confusing cases, and translating too literally,

Study set texts actively

Make notes on: 

• Characters

• Themes

• Important quotations

Examiners want to see you understand what's happening and how the author achieves their effects. You could use the funnelling revision technique for this. 

Use past papers strategically.

Use our OCR and Eduqas past papers to familiarise yourself with the questions. 

Then, time yourself! It's easy to run out of time. Once it’s done, review the paper  alongside a mark scheme. 

Learn civilisation content visually 

Draw diagrams, create timelines of Roman Britain, or sketch plans of Roman cities. Visual learning helps topics stick. 

Use the tried and tested revision technique of mindmaps. Get creative! Draw Roman symbols, gladiators, and amphitheatres. 

Mindmaps make connections between topics. How religious beliefs influence entertainment, for example. 

Form a study group 

Translating together helps you learn different approaches to tricky passages. Test each other on vocabulary and explain grammar points to one another.

Frequently Asked Questions

What texts do you study in GCSE Latin?

This depends on your exam board and the specific year you're taking your exams.  Your teacher will tell you which specific passages you're studying. 

Can I take GCSE Latin without speaking Latin?

Absolutely! Latin is a written language, not a spoken one. All your work involves reading, translating, and writing about Latin. Some teachers use spoken Latin in lessons to help with pronunciation, but this isn't assessed in the GCSE.

Is Latin a hard GCSE subject?

Latin is definitely challenging. It requires strong logical thinking, attention to detail, and consistent effort. The grammar is complex and translation can feel like solving puzzles. However, students sometimes find Latin easier than modern languages. There's no speaking component! It does require regular practice and good organisation, though. 

Final Thoughts

Having a clear, organised list of exactly what you need to know takes away much of the stress. This way, you’re facing specific, manageable topics to systematically work through. Tick them off one by one, use the revision strategies that work for you, and trust the process.

Latin teaches you to think precisely, analyse carefully, and persevere when things get tough. These skills will serve you brilliantly, not just in your GCSE exams, but in whatever subjects and challenges come next. 

Now you know what’s coming up in your Latin studies, you’re ready to get stuck in!

Browse our secrets to effective GCSE revision or find out how to make revision fun. 

Save My Exams supports your GCSE Latin revision by providing high-quality revision materials tailored to your specific exam board. Whether you're reinforcing key concepts, testing your knowledge or practising exam-style questions, we've got everything you need to boost your confidence and achieve top grades in GCSE Latin. 

References: 

OCR GCSE (9-1) in Latin (J282) Specification (opens in a new tab)

GCSE Specification Template (opens in a new tab)

OCR GCSE (9-1) J282 Latin DVL (opens in a new tab)

GCSE - Latin (9-1) - J282 (opens in a new tab)

GCSE Specification Template (opens in a new tab)

Appendices (opens in a new tab)

Cambridge Latin Course (opens in a new tab)