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**A2 Classical Civilisation**

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Reply 40
Original post by vanessadixit
I think there's way more facts to learn in the Sanctuaries bit, whereas in the other three you can kind of wing it as long as you have an opinion. I'm finding the dates/artists easiest to learn for Free Standing, but I prefer answering questions on Vases and Architectural. Hehe.

I'm sure you can pull out an A this time since you know exactly what to do this time around, so good luck! :smile: Haha yeah the format is sneaky cause you're have to know everything inside out to really be on top of it. I'm going to focus on the three I like and go in with average knowledge of the sanctuaries. I hope if Sanctuaries do come up it'll be an essay question, cause if it's a picture question then it'll be all technical and I just can't get my head around the terms.

It is very stressful, definitely! Class. Civ. is my priority this year so hopefully I'll revise enough for it! I've got AS units to do first though (fast-tracking!), but come half term I'll be all over Art and The Aeneid! :biggrin:



I'm learning all the exact dates/artists/places/materials, as the specification asks us to. 5th century sculpture and Women in The Aeneid would just be a godsend! I hope the Parthenon friezes/pediments don't come up in any way cause I still can't tell the difference between East and West. For Virgil, I'm revising by theme (e.g. Honour & Reputation, Women, Family, Gods...) and comparing Homer/Virgil. :smile:


Whops, I only just saw this!

Oh good luck with your other units as well then! :smile:

Has your teacher given any predictions about what could come up for the vase question at all?!
Original post by Alejandro
Whops, I only just saw this!

Oh good luck with your other units as well then! :smile:

Has your teacher given any predictions about what could come up for the vase question at all?!


Thank you, I've done my ASs this week! Next stop... Art & Arch! Aaah! She said that it's likely they will carry on with comparing groups of themes or artists like they recently did with Pioneers vs. Mannerists. So maybe something like Amasis Painter vs. Exekias or is characterisation better in black or red-figure. That's still so broad and unhelpful though, sorry! :P
Reply 42
Original post by vanessadixit
Thank you, I've done my ASs this week! Next stop... Art & Arch! Aaah! She said that it's likely they will carry on with comparing groups of themes or artists like they recently did with Pioneers vs. Mannerists. So maybe something like Amasis Painter vs. Exekias or is characterisation better in black or red-figure. That's still so broad and unhelpful though, sorry! :P

I think that's a very good guess! They haven't asked about black figure for two years so if they do ask about that...it will be amazing!! Theres soo much to talk about with Amasis Painter vs Exekias!
Reply 43
Original post by hannah_lou
Oh yeah I know that, I mean for the Section A and Section B part, couldn't be lucky enough to avoid it altogether :P I'm doing alright on the 40 markers, it's just when the first part of the exam has a Hippolytus bit haha


ohh okay i find it easier to do past papers they really help you get your head around the plays :smile:
Original post by Aamna01
ohh okay i find it easier to do past papers they really help you get your head around the plays :smile:


Yeah it does :smile: so I take it you're doing Greek trag, what's your other module? :smile:


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Reply 45
Original post by hannah_lou
Hi, I've just seen you are doing the same modules as me as well :smile: is it essay technique or the plays themselves you are finding difficult?


Hey :smile: it's essay technique, for sure. E.g e.g... do you know how much context you need to give for both 20/40 markers and how much specific detail they need? How much time are you spending planning your essays and how are you structuring them?

Also, for the 10 marker, any idea how you need to balance your references to the scene given and to the entire play?

Ahaaa, sorry to ask you so many questions. My teacher genuinely refuses to mark any extra work and didn't set us a mock. :frown:

What other A levels are you taking? X
Original post by AliceA
Hey :smile: it's essay technique, for sure. E.g e.g... do you know how much context you need to give for both 20/40 markers and how much specific detail they need? How much time are you spending planning your essays and how are you structuring them?

Also, for the 10 marker, any idea how you need to balance your references to the scene given and to the entire play?

Ahaaa, sorry to ask you so many questions. My teacher genuinely refuses to mark any extra work and didn't set us a mock. :frown:

What other A levels are you taking? X


Ahh that's a hard thing to accurately say, it is more your analysis that counts, if you can get it in in the 20 marker brilliant, but for 40 markers it is essential that context is running through your essay- my best Aeneid essays are constantly linking to Roman (Augustan) context in terms of society and qualities such as pietas, how Virgil's portrayal of certain characters relates to it or doesn't. My best Greek tragedy essays focus on how an Athenian (male) audience would react to the controversial events shown in the plays, particularly portrayals of female characters by Sophocles (Jocasta, Antigone, Ismene) and Euripides (Phaedra, the Nurse, Glauke, Medea), use of gods, hubristic behaviour etc. Lots of specific detail and evaluation is key.

My general formula for essays is:

20 markers- intro highlighting both sides of argument but with personal opinion clear, 2 para's supporting one side of argument, 2 para's supporting other side, conclusion bringing together my points in summary with clear judgement

40 markers- intro highlighting both sides of argument but with personal opinion clear, 3 para's one side of argument, 3 para's other side, conclusion bring points together in summary with clear judgement

It may be different for different people but that is how I roll :P

I also link back to the question at the end of each paragraph, am trying to stick to no longer than 45 minutes for each 40 mark essay, don't tend to plan as my plan is usually my intro, always look back at my intro when writing my essay to keep focused on my argument (maybe not the best technique to advise, planning is always good :P)

10 marker- pm me an example of a question you find particularly difficult and I will try to advise you, I find it easier to work with a specific question :smile:

My other A-levels are History and German, but finished History last year so just the two this time, how about you?

Sorry for the essay btw, hope this helps! :smile:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 47
Original post by vanessadixit
Thank you, I've done my ASs this week! Next stop... Art & Arch! Aaah! She said that it's likely they will carry on with comparing groups of themes or artists like they recently did with Pioneers vs. Mannerists. So maybe something like Amasis Painter vs. Exekias or is characterisation better in black or red-figure. That's still so broad and unhelpful though, sorry! :P



Oh really, well thanks for that :smile:
Finding it so hard to revise everything properly!
Praying for a vase question in section A and a sanctuary question in section B!
Reply 48
Original post by hannah_lou
Yeah it does :smile: so I take it you're doing Greek trag, what's your other module? :smile:


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yep i'm doing Greek tragedy and the Aeneid wbu?
Reply 49
Original post by Alejandro
Oh really, well thanks for that :smile:
Finding it so hard to revise everything properly!
Praying for a vase question in section A and a sanctuary question in section B!


Hi there, newbie with a mad panic here - basically our teacher didn't bother to teach us vases because she said we wouldn't have enough time, but we also have done very little on temples and sanctuaries, so none of us know how we would even answer a question on it! Do you have any tips on how to answer temple/sanctuary questions?
Original post by Aamna01
yep i'm doing Greek tragedy and the Aeneid wbu?


Yep I'm doing the same :smile: which do you find easier? Personally I find the Aeneid much easier


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Reply 51
Original post by megxmas
Hi there, newbie with a mad panic here - basically our teacher didn't bother to teach us vases because she said we wouldn't have enough time, but we also have done very little on temples and sanctuaries, so none of us know how we would even answer a question on it! Do you have any tips on how to answer temple/sanctuary questions?


I'm so sorry that this has happened to you, teachers not covering the syllabus is really irritating.

I'm assuming you're doing OCR's A2 syllabus. Look at last year's paper on the OCR website and you'll see that in section A there was a question on the Temple of Apollo at Bassae, one of the temples that you're expected to be familiar with from the specification.

The two questions were entirely stylistic.

The first asked whether you thought the temple was conventional or stylistically daring, which would expect you to know what a traditional temple layout was so you can compare and contrast as with virtually any essay. You'd need to think about things like the types of architecture used, stylistic features, layout and orientation etc. - so apply what you know about stereotypical temples to the temple in question. There are a few clues that they provide you - not only have you got pictures, but the map direction is provided on the plan (so you can remember that Apollo at Bassae faces in a different direction from most temples), and the second question talks about combination of styles which is a reason why the temple was different from some others.

The second question looks for knowledge of all the temples in the specification and asks what advantages combining Doric and Ionic styles gave architects. So here you'd need to know not only the temples but enough about the styles to talk about the advantages here. This question is basically asking for a list of points and explanation of those points.

Obviously it's impossible to predict what you're going to get asked on anything - in 2011, for instance, although there were questions on temple friezes in section A, the main temple question was in section B about whether you think the Parthenon was propaganda. So for such a question you would need to argue from a basis of not only knowing details about what is ON the Acropolis and the detail of the Parthenon friezes etc. but also why it was built.

I'm not sure how to help you with syllabus content if you've not had a chance to study everything. But take a look at the past papers on the OCR website and the mark schemes there and they should give you some ideas about how you might handle some questions.

Good luck!
Reply 52
Original post by megxmas
Hi there, newbie with a mad panic here - basically our teacher didn't bother to teach us vases because she said we wouldn't have enough time, but we also have done very little on temples and sanctuaries, so none of us know how we would even answer a question on it! Do you have any tips on how to answer temple/sanctuary questions?


Hey, someone beat me too it,basically what they said is very helpful, not much else I can add to it! I'm not really focusing too much on the temples but more sanctuaries. I think what the other poster said about looking at past papers will help you a lot, I know a 50mark essay question come up on sancs in 2011 so perhaps look at that and the mark scheme for it :smile:

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but I'm in a similar situation to you in regards to being in a mad panic with this exam!
Reply 53
For the temple architecture question - is it likely that it'll be a question on sanctuaries rather than temples, as temples came up last year?
I'm doing Greek Tragedy and Tiberius and Claudius - Can anyone offer any advice on how to revise Tiberius and Claudius? There is just so much to learn... and the names are giving me a headache!!! I mean. How many Drusus' does a family need!? @_@
Does anyone have notes on the Philippeion at Olympia (for the sanctuaries)? Cos my notes are basic at best...

Thanks :biggrin:

Also: What are people learning for Delphi... Ive got the Temple of Apollo and thats it... what else should we know??
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 56
Another question for anyone that knows (who are doing the art & architecture course) -

If the modules are split into vases,free standing, architectural sculpture and temples/sanctuaries, is it just a coincidence or are vases and free standing never placed together (And therefore temples/sanctuaries are never placed in same section as architectural sculpture)? Because in the past papers there always seems to be one free standing question in one section then one vase question in the other section, never both in section A or both in section B.

Does anyone know if this is how they always set out the exam? Only checking as i'm trying to prioritise certain sections to revise as I have so much other stuff to revise for alongside this! Thanks :smile:
Reply 57
Hi guys!

Glad to see this thread is getting longer and longer since I started it! Haha! :biggrin:

Anyone on here doing the AQA specification? Kind of getting lost with the OCR comments :confused:

By the way I'm doing the Augustus - 3D and Tiberius and Claudius - 4D unit.... exams next week, so any tips fellow AQA spec people :eek:

Thanks! :colondollar:
Reply 58
Hi!

For Tiberius and Claudius, there is a lot to learn but I'm focusing more on Claudius since it much easier to understand than Tiberius. The topics on him being influenced by his wives seem to be a regular occurrence in the past papers too....
Revision wise I'm just making sure I know the texts now, exams next week so times running out! :eek:

Original post by Her.Dark.Majesty
I'm doing Greek Tragedy and Tiberius and Claudius - Can anyone offer any advice on how to revise Tiberius and Claudius? There is just so much to learn... and the names are giving me a headache!!! I mean. How many Drusus' does a family need!? @_@
Hi guys! I'm doing AQA Greek Tragedy and Aeneid. Struggling to remember everything, and getting confused between Shepherds and Messengers in Oedipus D:

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