Teaching and learning

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain the functions and forms of myths in the classical world and the relationship between classical works and those from a later period.

Example of learning activities

• Create a family tree of the Olympian gods.
• Research one of the Olympian gods. Create a presentation that includes the following information: titles, responsibilities, attributes, symbols associated with the god and one myth in which they play a major role. Provide an image of an artwork that was created in ancient Greece or Rome.
• Read the creation myth (lines 104-205) from Hesiod’s Theogony and consider its purpose and function for the ancient Greeks, assessing what it might reveal about their fundamental beliefs and values.
• Read one or more Homeric Hymns, for example ‘To Artemis’ and ‘To Dionysus’. Explain what each hymn reveals about the god it praises; what it reveals about the values of classical Greece. Consider what function it might have served in ancient society.
• Find and explain myths that explain natural phenomena, such as the seasons or earthquakes.
• Compare the difference between the nature of divine beings and mortals in a myth you have studied.
• Annotate images artworks such as sculptures, paintings and vases, that depict myths. Examine what narrative is presented and annotate features that depict the figures and the narrative.
• Explore myth cycles such as the House of Atreus or the House of Labdacus (Oedipus’ family), Annotate a genealogical diagram to note the relationships with the gods, actions completed, consequences of those actions, the concept of fate and of curses. Consider what this reveals about the functions and ideas in these myths.
• Create an infographic on a hero. Your infographic should include: name of the hero, parents, best known heroic acts, heroic attributes associated with this figure, gods associated with the hero and if they help or hinder, symbols associated with the hero, bibliographic details.
• Read a Book of Homer’s Iliad, Homer’s Odyssey or Virgil’s Aeneid and identify the heroic attributes of the central hero. Consider the attributes of a hero in a particular context, such as on a journey, at war or his role in the foundation of a city. (extracts/Books to be studied in Units 3 and 4 should be avoided)
• Read a poem that uses a myth you have studied and consider why the poet chose to use the myth and any adaptations made.
• Investigate the 12 labours of Heracles/Hercules and consider the qualities of the hero that are emphasised. Watch a modern retelling of a myth, such as the 1997 film Hercules, and identify what makes Hercules heroic in both versions. Using a Venn diagram, compare the extent to which the 1997 film version is the same as the ancient version. Consider why this myth might still be relevant to our society and why you think changes were made to the modern retelling.
• Compare the depiction of a mythological figure through time. For example, examine the birth of Aphrodite in Hesiod’s Theogony with Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and/or Aphrodite in the Percy Jackson series. To what extent is the depiction the same? Do we see a difference in focus between the depictions? Do they have the same messages about power, beauty, love, and fertility? What do the depictions reveal about the societies in which they were produced.
• Working in small groups, research one hero and the myths associated with this hero. Present findings to the class as a multimedia presentation.

Detailed example 1

Heroes Research Task

1. In small groups students research one hero and the myths associated with them. They present their findings to the class as a multimedia presentation. Heroes might include Odysseus, Jason, Heracles/Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, Achilles, Romulus and Aeneas.

   In preparation for their presentation, students address and take notes on the following questions:

	Notes
What were the key myths involving the hero. Explain them.
Who were the hero’s parents.
Did they do anything very impressive when they were a child?
Does your hero have a god that is associated them? Does the god help them or hinder them?
How was your myth represented in the ancient world? Find images of ancient Greek or Roman artworks or extracts from written works to use in your presentation
What attributes are most closely associated with your hero?




2. Students create and deliver their multimedia presentation that includes the information they have gathered and relevant accompanying visuals.

   Following the presentations, hold a class discussion in which students explore what they have observed about heroes in myths. They consider what the heroes have in common and what purpose these figures might have served in ancient Greek and Roman culture? They all consider what their myths reveal about the values held by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

3. Students they create a mind map that shows their understanding of the characteristics and functions of heroes in classical mythology.

• Compare Joseph Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey with a classical myth and then compare these with modern works that follow or depart from Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey.
  

Detailed example 2

The hero’s journey

1. Present Joseph Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey to the students and ask them to consider myths they know that follow this pattern.
2. As a class, read a classical myth of a hero’s journey, such as extracts from Homer’s Odyssey, aloud and have students assess how it confirms or departs from Campbell’s description.
3. Students annotate their text with examples of and reflections on how heroes are characterised in their text. Students could also examine the oral tradition in which the Odyssey was created and the values it conveys.
4. When they have finished their study of a classical hero myth students consider later or modern works, such as films that follow, or depart from, Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey. Students give an oral presentation about their chosen work.

Resources

Classical works

[Works to be studied in later areas of study may not to be used here, but a different section may be used. For example, a different Book of an epic than that to be studied in Unit 3 may be used]

Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns

Hesiod, Theogony

Homer, The Iliad

Homer, The Odyssey

Ovid, Metamorphoses

Virgil, The Aeneid

Modern Resources

Fry, Stephen, 2018, Mythos. Michael Joseph (Imprint of Penguin Books)

Morford, P.O and Lenardon, Robert J, 1995, Classical Mythology. Longman

Nagy, Gregory, 2013, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours. Harvard University Press

Weiss, Charles, 2012, Greece & Rome: Texts and Contexts. Homer’s Odyssey. Cambridge University Press

Websites

Perseus Digital Library

The Internet Classics Archive

Theoi Greek Mythology

Works influenced by myth

A book, poem, film or television show depicting a hero archetype or hero’s journey; for example:

The Birth of Venus by Botticelli

Circe by Madeline Miller

Hercules from Disney Studios (film, 1997)

Hercules or Hercules directed by Brett Ratner and starring Dwayne Johnson(film, 2014)

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? By Joel and Ethan Coen(film, 2000)

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (book, 2005)

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (book, 2012)

Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petersen (film, 2004)

Troy, Dragging of Hector (1966) by Sidney Nolan (artwork, 1966)

Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson (poem, 1833)

The poetry of WB Yeats, such as ‘Leda and the Swan’ and ‘No Second Troy’

The Percy Jackson series (books, films or television shows)

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how archaeology has informed our understanding of classical myths and society and identify ethical issues in archaeology.

Example of learning activities

• Create a glossary containing the words − stratigraphy, survey, excavation, artefact, dating, radiocarbon dating, repatriation, cultural heritage
  
• Watch an episode of Time Team to understand how an excavation takes place from discovery to any possible finds.
• Examine the discovery of Hisarlik and/or Knossos. Briefly outline who discovered your site and what lead to its discovery. In your evaluation use the following questions to guide your thinking:
  • Who discovered and/or excavated the site? When?
  • What lead to its discovery?
  • Did the archaeologist(s) make any assumptions about the site?
  • Did this influence their interpretation of the site?
  • Did this in turn influence how the world views this site?
• Research Heinrich Schliemann’s excavation of Hisarlik and/or Arthur Evans’ excavation of Knossos. Examine the degree to which the excavation was conducted to modern archaeological rigour.
• Watch episodes of the mini-series by Michael Woods: ‘In Search of the Trojan War’ or Bettany Hughes’s series ‘The Minotaur’s Island’ to understand how mythology may have been informed by what is seen in the archaeological evidence, or vice versa. Make notes on archaeological evidence that reveals aspects of Mycenaean or Minoan society.
• Explore the different types of archaeological evidence, including features of a site and artefacts discovered.
• Examine a range of Mycenaean frescoes, vases and gold objects. Consider why the Mycenaeans chose the subject matter that they did for these items.
• Explore the issue of ethics in archaeology and consider the question: Who owns the past? Discuss the link between archaeological artefacts and sites and cultural heritage by exploring what museums and art galleries decide to exhibit in exhibitions that tour the world. Examples might include the antiquities section of the British Museum, the Louvre (Paris), the Vatican Museums (Rome), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), and the National Gallery of Victoria. Investigate questions such as: Why do museums and art galleries have sections devoted to antiquities? What attracts people to visiting museums and seeing these objects? Pick a museum artefact and research how it came to be in the museum collection.
• Research the controversy around the ownership of the Parthenon marbles and watch the debate on video: Send them back: The Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Athens. This debate took place at Cadogan Hall on 11th June 2012. Have a class debate as to whether the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece.
• Explore the site of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which are still being excavated, and assess the benefits of tourism and the negatives of having the site open to the public. View the Ercolano fresco from Herculaneum and consider the site’s mythical connection to Hercules. Then examine frescoes from Pompeii and Herculaneum that depict myth and consider what ideas, beliefs and values are presented in these scenes.
  
• Form teams to debate two research and debate to ethical issues, using evidence from Pompeii. The teams should argue for and against the motions:
  
1. ‘Human remains should never be displayed.’
2. ‘Tourists should be banned from visiting Pompeii.’
   
• Research the artefacts associated with a chosen archaeological site in order to write an extended response or give an oral presentation explaining the significance of the chosen artefacts in informing your understanding of the society that produced them.
  

Detailed example

Artefacts Task

Students choose an archaeological site associated with a myth, such as Hisarlik (Troy), Mycenae or Knossos.

1. Provide students with a myth that is closely associated with the site, such as Theseus and the Minotaur or a myth associated with the Trojan War.
2. Students undertake brief research of when the site was discovered, how the site was discovered and by whom.
3. Students pose a broad research question. An example might be ‘Is there any truth to the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur?’ or ‘Could there have been a war at Troy that was inspiration for Homer’s Iliad?’
4. Students elect five artefacts from a site associated with myth and fill in the table below. These could be artefacts examined together in class or as an individual task, where students may need teacher support to find appropriate artefacts.

Artefact table

	Artefact 1	Artefact 2	Artefact 3	Artefact 4	Artefact 4
Artefact Name
Photograph
Description (dimensions, materials used, features)
When was it created?
When and where was it found?
Is the artefact decorative or functional? What was the artefact’s original use or purpose?
What type of person would have used the artefact (class/gender/job?)
Does the artefact support or disprove the myth? Why?)
What does the artefact reveal about the society in which it was produced? What does it tell us about the concerns of people living in that society?

5. Write an extended response or give an oral presentation explaining the significance of the chosen artefacts in informing your understanding of the society that produced them.

Resources

Classical works

[Works to be studied in other areas of study may not to be used here, but a different section may be used. For example, a different Book of the Iliad than the one that will be studied in Unit 3 may be used]

Homer, The Iliad

Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 8.

Perseus Digital Library

The Internet Classics Archive

Modern resources

Morford, P.O and Lenardon, Robert J., Classical Mythology. Longman, 1995

Wardle, KA, Wardle, D, 2013, The Mycenaean World, Bristol Classical Press

Documentaries

In Search of the Trojan War

The Minotaur’s Island

Raiders of the Lost Past: The Minotaur’s Palace

The Story Behind a stolen 2500-year-old vase (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Time Team episodes

Troy: The Truth Behind the Legend

Send them back: The Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Athens [available on YouTube]

Websites

Art in Context: A Deep Dive into Mycenaean Artifacts

Home | Acropolis Museum | Official website (theacropolismuseum.gr)

British Museum

Hellenic Museum Melbourne | Art & History Museum

Home - Heraklion Archaeological Museum (heraklionmuseum.gr)

Turkish Museums - #FromHome – access to virtual tours of many museums in Türkiye including Troy, Ephesus, Assos, Hierapolis.

Homepage - Pompeii Sites Official Pompeii Archaeological Site – this has links to other sites such as – this has links to other sites such as Oplontis, Boscoreale and many others.

Online text book

Minoan Archaeology Resource

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the representations and place of myth in classical culture and the ideas and beliefs they convey.

Example of learning activities

• Research one ancient Greek theatre, such as Epidaurus or the Theatre of Dionysus at Athens, to understand the links between drama and the religious worship of Dionysus. Find out about what happened at the City Dionysia Festival and divide the events into three categories: entertainment, religious and civic. Discuss the ideas and beliefs conveyed by these events. Read a play that was performed at the festival and consider the ideas and beliefs its writer expresses.
• Study the myths that are included in Aeschylus’ Oresteia, and explore how this myth cycle explains the beginning of a justice system. Using Google Earth, find Athens and then map out the proximity between the Theatre of Dionysus and the Areopagus. Consider how these locations are significant to myth and to classical Athenian society.
• Read the final scene of Aeschylus’ Eumenides and consider what it says about the foundation of Athenian law courts and Athena’s involvement in their foundation. Find out why the popular law courts might have taken over many of the powers of the Areopagus.
• Read Book 11 of Homer’s Odyssey and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Research the Eleusinian Mysteries and the sanctuary of Eleusis. Examine images or artefacts related to Mystery cults, such as the images on the Met Museum website that accompanies the essay ‘Mystery Cults in the Greek and Roman World’ [see resources below]. Explain what the mystery cult involved and try to account for why it might have been so important to the ancient Greeks.
• Take a virtual tour through the House of the Mysteries in Pompeii and view its initiation frescoes. Find out about how the cult of Bacchus was viewed in ancient Rome.
  
• Study the mythical origins of the Olympic games, the images of Heracles at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, the sanctuary of Olympia and the games themselves. Explain the ways people showed their devotion to Zeus at the Olympic Games.
• Write a short diary entry imagining that you attended the Lupercalia or Saturnalia festivals, including what you did and saw.
• Consider how Roman emperors used myth and mythic scenes to present ideas about themselves and the Romans. Find out about the emperor and the myths that are referenced in the Ara Pacis, Claudius as Jupiter, Commodus as Hercules and suggest why the emperors chose those myths, what ideas he was trying to express and how they might have been perceived by the Roman audience.
• Create a catalogue of Roman coins that display mythology. Research the emperor who minted the coin and the myth presented. Decide what the emperor was trying to convey about himself and/or Rome in each case.
• Using a range of examples of written and material culture, conduct research to gain a deeper understanding of the oracle in classical society. Synthesise the research and class work in an extended response.

Detailed example

The Oracle

Students use a range of examples of written and material culture to understand the role of the oracle in classical society.

1. Students examine the sanctuary of Delphi and research background information using questions to guide their research, such as:
   • Which god or goddess is associated with Delphi?
   • What is the mythic origin of Delphi?
   • What is the name of this god’s priest or priestess? What did this religious figure do?
   • Find photographs and videos of Delphi. Describe the location of the site of the Delphic Oracle. Why do you think this place was chosen as a sanctuary?
   • What else did the ancient Greeks use the site of Delphi for?
   • Who has treasuries as Delphi and why?
   • Why did ancient Greeks visit the oracle? Provide examples.
2. Students write questions for the oracle, both from the perspective of ancient Greeks and our own time.

3. Having established what the oracle was, and gaining a sense of its significance, students annotate various extracts from classical works for detail about oracles and how broader understandings about classical ideas and beliefs are expressed in these works. They should consider the techniques used to express ideas in each.

   Extracts can be read together in class, or individual students can be directed to read extracts and report back to the class about the significance of their extract.

   Works and questions to consider include:

   • Herodotus, The Histories Book 1. What does the oracle tell Croesus and how does the action play out? What does that tell us about the oracle? What other ideas and beliefs are conveyed in this Book?
   • Herodotus, The Histories Book 7. Consider the information the text gives about the oracle and other ideas and beliefs are conveyed in this Book.
   • Sophocles, Oedipus the King. Consider the way the play presents the oracle and the outcomes of peoples’ reactions to it’s prophecy. Fate and the gods can also more broadly be consider.
   • Sophocles, Antigone. A sacrifice gone wrong is described by the prophet Teiresias. Describe what you think a ‘good’ offering would be like. Why is it important to have a good offering? Students may also want to more broadly consider the presentation of religious belief here and ideas around it.
   • Virgil, Aeneid Book 6. Virgil describes the priestess of Apollo while she is prophesying. What happens to the sybil?
   • Homeric Hymn, ‘To Pythian Apollo’. What does the hymn add to you understanding of Apollo and the oracle of Delphi?
   • Examples of classical vases showing the Pythia, Teiresias and various people consulting the oracle.
4. If time allows, students might find out about contact between the Athenians and the oracle.
5. Students synthesise the information they have gathered by using relevant information to describe how the oracle would act when giving a prophecy, explain the nature of the prophecies given by the oracle of Delphi; and outline the understandings they have gained of ideas and beliefs in classical times. Provide students with a relevant prompt that allows for an extended response in writing to show the depth of their understanding.

Resources

Classical works

[Works to be studied in Units 3 and 4 are not to be used here]

Aeschylus, Oresteia (especially Agamemnon and Eumenides)

Herodotus, The Histories Book 1 and Book 7

Homeric Hymn, ‘To Pythian Apollo’

Sophocles, Oedipus the King

Virgil, Aeneid Book 6

Modern Resources

Connelly, Peter and Dodge, Hazel, 2000, The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome, Oxford University Press

Renshaw, James, 2010, In Search of the Romans, Bristol Classical Press

Websites

Online Coins of the Roman Empire

Mystery Cults in the Greek and Roman World

Pompeii Virtual Tour Part 5. Villa of the Mysteries

Sanctuary and Theatre of Dionysos | Acropolis Museum | Official website

The Oxford Classical Dictionary

Documentaries

Delphi, Greece: A Virtual Reconstruction [available on YouTube]

Ancient Secrets - Mysteries Oracle Delphi (Greece) [available on

Delphi, Greece: Spectacular Ancient Site - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide - Travel Bite [available on YouTube]

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the ways in which works present the key ideas of ancient Greece and/or Rome.

Example of learning activities

• Create a glossary of technical terminology for the work you study. Refer to definitions of techniques in the VCE Classical Studies Study Design to inform your glossary, but you may add further techniques beyond the examples given. If you are studying an ancient Greek tragedy, this glossary might include chorus, episode, ode, stichomythia, tragedy, imagery, simile, setting and characterisation. If sculpture is being studied the glossary might include, contrapposto, idealism, symbolism.
• Research the socio-historical background of 5th century Athens or Augustan Rome (or another specific and relevant period). Refer to the study design for the definition of ‘socio-historical context’ to use as a basis for the focus of your study. Create a timeline that includes key wars and battles, key personalities such as politicians, artists and engineers, and playwrights, key social and cultural events.
• Read a selected classical work. As you read annotate techniques and analyse how these convey meaning and the ideas of the work. Consider moments of particular significance, and how they connect to other parts of the work.
• Create a mind map of key classical concepts and how they relate to each other in the work studied.
• Annotate short passages from a written work, or a section or single artwork from a larger whole. Your annotations should include key classical ideas, techniques and socio-historical links.
• Compare the depiction of a historical figure through time and analyse the extent to which their depiction has altered. For example, explore the depictions of Cleopatra in Rome and Egypt in the first century BCE and compare these to later representations. You could use Plutarch’s characterization of her in ‘The Life of Antony’ from Parallel Lives, Tiepelo’s ‘Cleopatra’s Banquet of Cleopatra’, depictions of Cleopatra in the Asterisk comic books or Cleopatra in Mankiewicz’s 1963 film Cleopatra.
  • For each of the representations, analyse the purpose, the key message, and techniques used to convey the message.
  • When you have analysed each representation, evaluate the extent to which the representation has remained the same.

  • Are there elements of the socio-historical context that may influence the major message that is conveyed?

  • Cleopatra is a figure of intrigue and multiple reinventions, why do you think she looms so large in the modern psyche?
    


Conduct deep research into the play Antigone by Sophocles to establish this still-popular work’s socio-historical context and to complete a range of formative comprehension and analysis tasks.
Study Book 7 of Herodotus’s Histories and then compare it to Zach Snyder’s film 300, using class discussion and written tasks.

Detailed example 1

Sophocles’ Antigone

1. Students start by engaging in explicit learning of the socio-historical context of Antigone’s production. They can learn about key figures such as Pericles and the roles of women in 5th century Athens. Different students could be assigned different aspects of the socio-historical context to research, using the different aspects of socio-historical context as outlined in the Terms used in this study in the VCE Classical Studies Study Design.
2. Read the text together in class and establish an annotating key and plan. Students should annotate for ideas, techniques and references to socio-historical context. It can be useful to have a copy of the prescribed work with extra wide margins so that students can fit in all of their annotations.
3. As the play is read in class, students complete a range of formative comprehension and analysis tasks, such as mind maps, character maps and short questions.
4. a. Elements of classical reception could be added over the course of the study, such as by watching clips of the National Theatre of Great Britain’s production of Antigone. A series of short YouTube clips include scenes from the play, with the actors and director discussing their interpretations of the play and the decisions they have made in its adaptation. Students can discuss the reasons why Antigone has been one of the most frequently adapted Greek tragedy and, if time allows, seek out further versions for analysis.
4. b. An alternative or additional way to add classical reception to the study is to examine artworks related to the play. The depictions of character and action could be compared to Sophocles’ version. For example:
• After reading the scene where the Sentry reports the burial of Polyneices, students compare two artworks depicting Antigone with the body: Antigone Giving Burial to Polynices by Sébastien Louis Guillaume Norblin de la Gourdaine and Antigone and Polynices by Lytras Nikephoros. Students compare the depictions of Antigone and her actions and consider the attitudes towards these expressed through the scene and the paintings.
• Having finished reading to the point where Antigone’s death is report, students write a paragraph analysing Antigone by Frederic Leighton, and suggesting how it confirms or departs from Sophocles’ depiction of her character.
5. Students complete a summative task such as an essay, an extended response or a series of analysis questions on the play.
   

Detailed example 2

Herodotus, The Histories and Snyder’s 300 − The Battle of Thermopylae

Students study Book 7 of Herodotus’ Histories and then compare it to Zach Snyder’s film 300.

1. Read the following sections of Herodotus’ The Histories:1.1-5, 7.53-61, 7. 174-187 and 7.201-225. It is recommended that students read the 2003 Penguin edition (listed in the resources) with an introduction by John Marincola, and that they read pages ix-xiii of the Introduction to this edition.
2. When reading Book 1.1-5 the class can discuss and/or write on the following questions:
1. Given that Herodotus is writing history, what do you notice about Herodotus’s writing style? Is it the same as history writing in the 21st century?
   
2. What appears to be the reasons for Herodotus recording his Histories?
3. What do you think are going to be major themes in Herodotus’ Histories?
4. What does Herodotus say is the reason for the Persian Wars? What is the effect of his reasoning on the audience?
   
3. When reading Book 7.53-61 the class can discuss and/or write on the following questions:
1. How are the Persians characterised by Herodotus? What was the likely effect of this on the classical (fifth century Athenian) audience? Consider their values, how they look, and their culture.
2. According to Herodotus, what are the origins of the name "Persians"?
3. What is odd about this origin story?
4. When reading Book 7. 174-187 the class can discuss and/or write on the following questions:
   
   1. What is the Greek plan?
   2. How many men are in the Persian forces? How does this characterise the Persians?
   3. What is the effect of Herodotus including information about the “attendants” of the army? (7.187)?
5. When reading Book 7.201-225 the class can discuss and/or write on the following questions:
1. How big does Herodotus say the Greek forces are?
2. How are Leonidas and the Spartans and Xerxes characterised?
3. Why don't the Persians expect resistance? How does this characterise them and the Greeks?
4. What is the role of the Delphic oracle?
5. Who wins this battle?
6. After Leonidas dies, Herodotus states that they (Spartans and Leonidas) "deserve to be remembered". How is this significant? Why should they be remembered?
6. Watch Zack Snyder’s film, 300.
7. In groups, students compare key scenes from the film to Herodotus’s account of the same events. Students create a table of similarities and differences between the text and the film.
   
8. In a class discussion, explore the extent to which the message of the works differ.
9. Students create a piece of writing exploring how Snyder has used and adapted Herodotus’ work.
   
10. Students create a piece of writing exploring how Snyder has used and adapted Herodotus’s work.

Resources

Classical works

[Works to be studied in Units 3 and 4 are not to be used for this area of study.]

Sections or whole works from:

A tragedy by Aeschylus

A comedy by Aristophanes

Caesar, The Conquest of Gaul

A selection of Catullus’s poetry

Cicero, In Defence of the Republic, Selected Political Speeches or Selected Works

A tragedy by Euripides

Herodotus, The Histories [edition used in detailed example: Edited by John Marincola, Penguin, 2003)

Juvenal, Satires

Horace, Odes

Livy, The Rise of Rome

Ovid, Metamorphoses or Poems of Exile

Petronius, The Satyricon

Plato, The Last Days of Socrates

Plutarch, Parallel Lives

Sallust, Catiline's War, The Jugurthine War, Histories

Seneca, The Satirycon

A tragedy by Sophocles

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars

Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

A selection of Greek vases

A selection of Roman mosaics or frescoes

A selection of Roman or Greek sculptures

Online classical works

Perseus Digital Library

The Internet Classics Archive

Classical reception works

300 by Frank Miller (graphic novel, 1998) and/or 300 directed by Zach Snyder (film, 2006)

Antigone by Frederic Leighton (artwork, 1882)

Antigone and Polynices by Lytras Nikephoros (artwork, 1865)

Antigone giving burial to her brother Polynices by Sébastien Louis Guillaume Norblin de la Gourdaine (artwork, 1825)

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (video game, 2018)

The Banquet of Cleopatra by Tiepolo (artwork, 1744)

Cleopatra directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (film, 1963)

Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott (film, 2000)

The Hunger Games directed by Gary Ross (film, 2012)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (book, 2008)

David by Michelangelo (artwork, 1501–04)

Spartacus directed by Stanley Kubrick (film, 1960)

National Theatre: Antigone [available on YouTube]

The monuments of Washington DC (find images online)

The architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the key ideas and techniques in a prescribed work of epic poetry and explain its relationship to its socio-historical context.

Example of learning activities

• Examine the Terms used in this study section of the VCE Classical Studies Study Design, particularly the definitions of socio-historical context, ideas and techniques
• Prior to reading the prescribed work, engage in some explicit learning about the period. When studying the Iliad, you need to bear in mind that we know very little about Archaic Greece - the Iliad serves as a primary source for this period. When studying the Aeneid, the context of Augustan Rome is crucial to understanding the work. Select from readings, documentaries and podcasts about Archaic Greece or Augustan Rome (a suggested list is including in the Recommended Resources).
• Create a timeline of the Trojan story identifying key plot points (Paris and the Golden Apple, the thousand ships set sail, the Trojan Horse, etc.) and place the prescribed work within this timeline. A mythological ‘cycle’ can be compared to a comic book ‘universe’ with each book or film operating both as a story on its own, as well as part of a broader narrative. Audiences knew the full story and could appreciate allusions, foreshadowing and dramatic irony, as fans enjoy ‘easter eggs’ today. You are not expected to read the other Books in the epic or to be able to recall detailed information about its mythological context; this task is only aimed strengthening your understanding of the prescribed book.
• Read the text together in class and establish an annotating key and plan. Annotate for ideas, techniques and references to socio-historical context. It can be useful to have a copy of the prescribed work with extra wide margins so that you can fit in all of your annotations.
• Create character profiles for each of the main characters in the prescribed work. Incorporate descriptions of their physical appearance, relationship to other characters, achievements and personality traits. Select quotes from the prescribed work to include in the profile.
• You will be given ten short extracts (approximately four lines long) from across the work on different cards. In groups, race to order the sections of the work accurately, in chronological plot order. This task helps you to know your prescribed work well and to be able to quickly identify extracts.
• As you read through the text, collect examples of each technique and fill out the bingo sheet below (or adjust the sheet to include or remove techniques of your choice). The first student to find examples of all the techniques is the winner.

Epithet Example:	Imagery Example:	Extended simile: Example:
Foreshadowing Example:	Metaphor Example:	Patronym/matronym Example:
Repetition Example:	Pathos Example:	Irony Example:



• Split into two groups, with one group representing the gods and the other group representing the mortals. As a group, present arguments that your personae are more influential in causing events to occur in the plot of the prescribed text. You can choose to embody individual characters or discuss the group as a whole, drawing evidence from the prescribed work. You can also debate which group has more ‘heroic’ or praiseworthy individuals (from a classical perspective).
• Practice establishing significance. Select an extract of 25 lines from your work. Develop arguments for why your extract is the most important in the work, in terms of contribution to the development of key ideas, character development and/or plot progression. You can also discuss how the extract includes significant examples of specific techniques.
• Practise annotating and analysing passages from the prescribed work.

Detailed example

Provide students with an extract from the prescribed work (approximately 25 lines), along with some unseen questions that require students to:

• annotate the extract
• identify the socio-historical context of the work and identify quotes or features in the extract that connect to this socio-historical context
• identify where the extract appears in the prescribed work, and what occurs before and after the extract
• analyse how techniques are used to express ideas within the chosen extract (close analysis)
• evaluate why the extract is significant by comparing this extract to other moments in the prescribed work, in terms of plot and presentation of characters and ideas.

This could be asked as a single written analysis question that would require students to structure their own work (with criterion such as the above points for success) and/or as a series of short answer questions, with templates or sentence starters if required.

Resources

Books

Fry, Stephen, 2018, Mythos. Michael Joseph (Imprint of Penguin Books)

Graziosi, Barbara, 2016, The Iliad, Oxford University Press

Graziosi, Barbara, 2019, Homer: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press

Beard, Mary, 2016, ‘The Transformations of Augustus’ in SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, Profile Trade

W.A Camps, WA, 1969, An Introduction to Virgil’s Aeneid, Oxford University Press

Martindale, Charles (ed.) 1997, The Cambridge Companion to Virgil, Cambridge Universit Press

Articles/chapters

Introduction by Sheila Murnaghan to The Iliad trans. Stanley Lombardo (Hackett, 1997)

Documentary

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: The Iliad

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the key ideas and techniques used in the production of the prescribed material work(s) and its relationship to its socio-historical context

Example of learning activities

• Examine the Terms used in this study section of the VCE Classical Studies Study Design, particularly the definitions of socio-historical context, ideas and techniques used in material culture works. Consider the differences between construction methods, compositional techniques and expressive techniques, and where a technique might fall into more than one of these categories.
• Research the period in which your prescribed work(s) was created. Consider how the work(s) reflect their period or may have even played a significant role in historical events. Monuments and sculpture were often commissioned by leaders as political propaganda, which can teach us about the values and ideas leaders aimed to promote. Everyday objects teach us about how ordinary people lived through the historical period.
• Research construction methods. Consider how the work was produced, what materials were used and where they were sourced. Research the expense of the materials and consider how this knowledge shapes your understanding of the financial and cultural value of the work(s). Works made with expensive marble, for example, cost their commissioners a huge amount and this reflects the importance that the commissioners placed on the works to convey their ideas.
• Look at an image of the work and identify your initial reaction to it. What emotions do you feel when viewing the work? What draws your eye? Note this down and then compare this with how you perceive the work once you understand its context and aims. Classical Studies encourages you to focus more on how people of the time viewed the work (rather than your own response), but it can be useful to compare and contrast your own perception of the work with how it was viewed in its own socio-historical context. When does your response align with how ancient viewers would have responded, when does it diverge and why?
• Select one technique that is used repeatedly in your work(s). Focus on compositional and expressive techniques, rather than construction methods. Consider techniques such as symbolism, iconography, focal points, positioning, facial expression, costume, stance and gesture, and colour (where relevant). Identify all the examples of the technique across your work(s) and prepare a presentation to the class to explain how the technique conveys ideas. Compare how the technique is used in different examples from the work(s).
• Learn about the works in-situ. Research where sculptures or monuments were erected and what may have surrounded them (other artwork, types of buildings). Was the work positioned in a wealthy or prominent part of the city? If you study everyday objects, learn about how they were used. What class and demographic of people owned the object and when did they use it?
• Print out photographs of the work(s) with a margin around the image. Annotate the works for:
  • Ideas (in particular values or classical ideas from the period)
  • Techniques (compositional and expressive in particular)
  • Socio-historical links
  • Similarities and differences across the work(s)
• Compare the work(s) in terms of purpose with twenty-first century equivalents. If you are studying a war monument, what similarities and differences exist when compared to the Shrine or War Memorial? Temples, arenas, theatres and grave markers all have twenty-first century equivalents. Focus particularly on the differences as they teach us more about what the classical world prioritised and believed. Note that you are not encouraged to write about these similarities and differences in your assessment for Classical Studies, rather such comparisons are just a useful way of considering what the material culture can teach us about the classical world.
• Create a mind map such as the example below to consider connections between sections of your prescribed work, or between works when multiple works have been prescribed. Look for similar ideas being expressed, works/sections from the same period, featuring similar characters or individuals or the repeated use of techniques.
• Make or find a 3D model of your prescribed work(s). Consider how people would have viewed and interacted with the work(s) at the time.
• Complete a series of questions based on images of a selection of prescribed material work(s).
  
  

Detailed Example

Provide students with images of a selection of the prescribed material works (or a selection of images of sections where a single work is prescribed) and ask them to respond to questions such as those listed below. These questions move from lower-order identification questions to higher-order comparative, analytical and evaluative questions.

1. Annotate the following image with five compositional or expressive techniques (5 marks).
2. Explain how the work depicted in Image 1 was created. Refer to construction techniques in your response (3 marks).
3. Identify the socio-historical context of Image 1 (1 mark) and describe how the work/section shown in Image 1 was used in its original context (2 marks).
4. Identify two Roman ideas expressed in Image 2. Give evidence from the image (2 marks)
5. Compare how Image 1 and Image 2 express the importance of piety. (5 marks)
6. Evaluate the significance of the work/section depicted in Image 2 in relation to the prescribed work as a whole/in relation to other examples of its form where several works are prescribed for study. Justify your argument with examples from three other prescribed works/sections you have studied. (8 marks)

Resources

Books

Zanker, Paul, 1990, The Power of Images in the Time of Augustus, The University of Michigan Press (trans. Alan Sharipo)

Film and documentaries

National Geographic on the construction of the Colosseum [available on YouTube]

Professor Amy Smith (Reading University) on Greek Art

Websites

Introduction to Greek architecture

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse and evaluate expressions of a classical concern and establish its significance in classical culture.

Example of learning activities

• Create an information graph for each prescribed work:
  

  Table 1: Information graph

  Name/title:			Name/title:			Name/title:
  Title			Title			Title
  Date			Date			Date
  Author			Artist/architect			Creator (if known)
  Genre			Form			Form
  Key features of genre			Material			Material
  Setting/context			Location			Location
  Subject matter or narrative			Subject matter or narrative			Original purpose or function
  Key features			Appearance			Appearance
  Significance? Can you identify any immediate connections to the classical concern?			Significance? Can you identify any immediate connections to the classical concern?			Significance? Can you identify any immediate connections to the classical concern?

  
  
• Investigate the main features of the socio-historical context of each prescribed work, including: key issues and events occurring when the work was produced/made; influences on the author/artist; social, cultural, political and intellectual climate, values and beliefs at the time that can be connected to the classical concern. Present findings to the class. Use the information gained from the exploration of socio-historical context to consider whether the creator of the work might express any explicit attitudes towards the classical concern.

• Consider why each work was chosen to represent and aspect of a classical concern. For example:
Classical identities:
• What do works with idealised depictions suggest to us about the ideal Greek/Roman/masculine/feminine identity?
• How do works that portray barbarians help the Greeks define their own identity?
• What was the function of items associated with the democratic processes? What does this tell us about how the Athenians saw themselves and each other? What was the citizen identity of 5th century Athens?
War and warfare:
• What style of warfare is portrayed in a work? What does the work tell us about war and how it was waged in the classical world?
• What different types of warfare are presented in the works? Do they change over time? What are the differences?
• What and whose perspective of war is presented in a work?
Power and authority:
• What type of power is presented in each work? Does this change over time? What are the differences?
• How might a slave’s collar connect to the concern of power and authority? What does the existence of slavery tell us about Roman power structures?
• What can a coin tell us about Roman power? As well as any scenes depicted, consider where it was minted and what that might suggest about the scale of Roman dominion? Read or watch a range of readings and/or videos about the prescribed works’ socio-historical contexts, noting references to the classical concern and considering how they might be connected to expressions of the concern in the prescribed works.

• Use reading strategies as the prescribed written works are read aloud in class:
  1. Annotate as follows(you might want to colour code different aspects):
     • Highlight key phrases related to the classical concern, and include a brief annotation to remind yourself of its meaning or significance
     • Highlight and key points, facts or evidence related to the classical concern
     • Note any questions that arise
     • Note points of significance for understanding this expression of the classical concern
     • Note similarities or differences to other prescribed works
       
     • Indicate where the author expresses an attitude to the classical concern, whether explicitly or implicitly
1. Recap: In your own words, summarise and explain what you have read.
2. Interpret: Create interpretative statements about the text, such as “the playwright suggests that…” and use these to scaffold a written analysis of the text.

• Annotate key features of images of the prescribed material works and present findings to the class.
• Note points of significance for understanding this expression of the classical concern
• Note similarities or differences to other prescribed works
• Indicate what can be learned about the classical concern
• Indicate where the creator of the work expresses an attitude to the classical concern, whether explicitly or implicitly

• Imagine you are a Greek or Roman at the time one of the prescribed works was created and consider how you would have viewed the work based on what you know about the socio-historical context of the time.
• Create a checklist of focus questions to guide your interpretation of each prescribed work, such as
• Write an analysis of key features of one of the prescribed works and evaluate the expression of key ideas related to the classical concern in the work. Evaluate the significance of the work in representing and expressing the classical concern.
• Create a Venn diagram to help organise the similarities and differences of two or three prescribed works. How does this comparison help you understand the representations of the classical concern and the significance of the classical concern to the society in which it was created?
• Create a meme for each prescribed work that epitomises its expression of the classical concern.
• Place the prescribed works in a flow chart to see if you can trace overall trends of similarities and differences regarding this classical concern across time.
• Evaluate the significance of a classical concern to our understanding of the culture of Greece and/or Rome in order to write an extended response or give an oral presentation evaluating the significance of the classical concern in classical culture.
  

Detailed example

Evaluate the significance of a classical concern to our understanding of the culture of Greece and/or Rome.

Activities:

1. Create a pack containing copies of the prescribed written works and read them aloud with students. Students annotate as the works are read and the connections to the classical concern are discussed.
2. View the prescribed material works together. Provide students with an image of each work that they can annotate based on class discussion.
3. Provide students with a table to organise their information and thinking on the classical concern, or have students create their own.

Name/title:	Notes: include examples, quotes and evidence
Details about creator of work (if known); context of work’s creation
Socio-historical context
Details about creator of work (if known); context of work’s creation
Socio-historical context
Key features of genre or form
Original use of function of an object or narrative or a story/image. What does this teach us about a particular aspect, or aspects, of the classical concern? What does this teach us about a particular aspect, or aspects, of the classical concern?
Does the creator of the work explicitly address the classical concern? Add quotes and/or examples.
Ideas expressed in relation to the concern, both explicitly and implicitly
What might the creator of the work want the audience to think about the classical concern?
What does the work suggest about societal attitudes to the concern in the culture at that point in time?
Similarities to other works
Differences from other works
Significance of work in aiding our understanding of the importance of this concern in classical culture

As the works are read and annotated in class, the table is filled in as a consolidation activity upon completion of the study of each work. Some works will require research into the provenance of and original use/function of the work and the findings can be noted in the table.

Students compare their notes with others and share their findings with the class.

Students use the table, notes and evidence they have collated as the basis for other activities, such as writing an extended response or giving an oral presentation evaluating the significance of the classical concern in classical culture.

Resources

Books

Hornblower, S, Spawforth, A (eds), 1998, The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization, Oxford University Press

Pomeroy, SB, Burstein, SM, Donlan, W, Roberts, JT, 2004, A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture, Oxford University Press

Documentaries

Meet the Romans: All roads lead to Rome [available on YouTube]

Website

The Oxford Classical Dictionary

Podcasts

Ancient Greece: City and Society

Emperors of Rome

On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare and evaluate the key ideas and the techniques in two classical works and evaluate the relationships between these works and their socio-historical contexts.

Example of learning activities

• Research the socio-historical context for Work 2 using the definition of socio-historical context as outlined in the VCE Classical Studies Study Design. The similarities and differences in socio-historical contexts of both works should be considered. If Work 2 is from a different context to Work 1, establish a basic grounding in the period, in terms of key events, leaders, social norms and beliefs. If Work 2 is of a different genre to Work 1, research the conventions and typical features of this genre before beginning to read the work.
• Read and annotate Work 2. As with Work 1 and earlier works studied in Classical Studies, reading aloud and annotating Work 2 is recommended. Annotate Work 2 for:
  • ideas
  • links to socio-historical context
  • techniques
  • direct parallels with Work 1

  Examine the Terms used in this study section of the VCE Classical Studies Study Design, particularly the definitions of socio-historical context, ideas and techniques. When studying plays, note that stage directions have been added by the translator for clarity, and thus the wording of the stage directions should not be analysed. Do not quote the stage directions. However, the stage directions included by translators are typically based upon clues in the dialogue as to the actions of the characters or known performance choices from the period. Therefore, you should try to imagine the effect in performance of what is described in the stage directions and can discuss the impact of these actions in your analysis of the works.
  

• Consider Work 2 in relation to your Classical Concern from Area of Study 1. Answer the following questions about Work 2:
  • What ideas and opinions does Work 2 present on the subject of [concern]?
  • How is this a similar or different view to Work 1?
  • Which of the prescribed short works most closely align with Work 2?
  • (If Work 2 is from a later context) What does Work 2 reveal about how this classical concern has evolved over time?
• Practice developing comparative statements that discuss the two works within a single sentence. Read the information below about compound sentences to help to develop your understanding of how to create strong comparative statements.

  Practice developing comparative simple and compound statements about the two works. While students’ vocabulary is not assessed in Classical Studies, it can be useful to consider different types of conjunctions, and which conjunctions express similarities, differences or are neutral.

• Once comparative statements are mastered, practice developing a paragraph that compares the two works. There are no set expectations for structure in Classical Studies, but you can consider and trial different ways of ordering your ideas within a paragraph. Paragraph scaffolds or sentence starters can also be used.
• Identify what you believe to be the three most important quotes from each of the works. As a class, share your quotes and explain why you have chosen these quotes as the most important. As a class, come to a consensus about which three are the most important.
• Use the table below to compare the beginning, middle and end of the two works. This task helps you to consider how the texts develop ideas and the changes and continuities within each text.

	Beginning How does the work open? Which characters appear? What happens (plot)? What is the main idea presented in the beginning? Which techniques are used?	Middle Which characters dominate the middle of the text? What is happening (plot) – is there a climax? What is the main idea being presented? Which techniques are used?	End How does the author choose to end their text? Which character speaks last? How does the plot resolve? What is the main idea we are left with? Which techniques are used?
Work 1
Work 2
Comparative statement




---

• Practice creating your own essay questions. Look at samples of questions, such as those essay questions included in the previous years’ Classical Studies Written Examinations (Section B). Consider questions that focus on ideas, genre, socio-historical context and/or authorial intent, and practice developing both specific and broad questions.
• Use the template below to carefully consider one key idea that is common to both works and create a crib sheet for your classmates. The idea should not be the classical concern from Area of Study 1 but could be related.

Idea: Both works explore/share the view:
Work 1 alone expresses the idea(s)...	Work 2 alone contends…
Key events in Work 1 which convey this…	Key events in Work 2 which convey this…
Work 1 quotes (top 5)	Work 2 quotes (top 5)
Techniques/aspects of genre relevant:	Techniques/aspects of genre relevant:
Relevant socio-historical context	Relevant socio-historical context




• Practise writing a comparative essay under timed conditions, based on an unseen question.

  
  

Detailed example

The task: For this outcome, students are required to develop a comparative essay under timed conditions, based upon an unseen question.

Selecting essay questions

More than one essay question could be offered to allow students to practice selecting a question that best suits their understanding of the works. Note that a key skill in Area of Study 2 requires students to consider the Classical Concern studied in Area of Study 1, thus it is recommended that the essay questions offered allow students to establish connections to the Classical Concern, even indirectly, to fulfil this criterion.

Preparatory activities

Practice planning and writing (suggested activities)

• Practice questions can be provided in advance for students to create plans and practice essay writing prior to the assessment.
• Model planning difficult questions with students, discussing the benefits of planning before writing and what is needed in an effective plan (main line of argument, focus of each paragraph, evidence to be used).
• Divide students into groups to practice planning essay questions. Give students restricted amounts of time (e.g. 10 minutes).
• After modelling a plan or having students plan in groups, ask students to practice writing the introduction to this essay. This could be completed under timed conditions and/or students could swap introductions for peer feedback.
• When students produce practice essays or practice paragraphs, provide brief feedback and ask that students rewrite the paragraph (or one paragraph from the wider essay), applying the feedback.
• Look at the sample essay fragments offered in the Written Examination External Assessment Report from the previous study design, or in model introductions or body paragraphs written by past students or the teacher. Ask students to identify features of the essays and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the writing. They could be asked to use the Performance Descriptors to assess the work. While high-scoring models can help students understand what they are working toward, sometimes lower-scoring examples are useful too, as it can be easier for students to identify errors in someone else’s work, as they will have some critical distance from the ideas and writing. In this case, it is important to use samples either written by the teacher for this purpose, or deidentified work from a student from a previous year.

Practice notes sheet

Allow students to sit the School Assessed Coursework for the Outcome with a pre-approved sheet of notes, or ‘crib sheet’. It is recommended that this is restricted (e.g. one side of a A4 page, minimum 10pt font, dot-points only) and that this is submitted in advance of the assessment for approval by the teacher.

The creation of the crib sheet encourages effective revision and preparation prior to the outcome, as well as ensuring that any errors in students’ understanding are eliminated prior to assessment. With a restriction such as one A4 page, students are also required to consider which are the most useful or versatile points or quotes to include and to thus practice identifying significance.

Notes sheets may mostly include quotes, but can also include socio-historical contextual information, key vocabulary they wish to use or even reminders about how to approach and structure their writing. It should be made clear that students cannot include full paragraphs on their crib sheet (as this would compromise the integrity of the outcome).

Resources

Books

Edith Hall, Edith, 2016, The Ancient Greeks: Ten Ways They Shaped the Modern World, Random House

Grant, Michael, 1989, The Classical Greeks, Scribner

Documentary

Athens - The Truth About Democracy’ (presented by Bethany Hughes) [available on YouTube]

National Theatre, ‘An Introduction to Greek Theatre’ [available on YouTube]

For Roman works

Podcasts:

‘Emperors of Rome’ by Dr Rhiannon Evans

‘Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics’

Beard, Mary, 2016, SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, Profile Trade