Attic Inscriptions Online

GCSE Classical Civilisation

GCSE Classical Civilisation Resources

OCR J199; for first assessment 2019

The current specifications for OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation do not prescribe any Athenian inscriptions. However, inscriptions can throw a huge amount of light on important themes central to the study of classical civilisation and provoke discussion and debate about its nature.

Among the Aims and Learning Outcomes specified in the OCR Specifications for GCSE Classical Civilisation, students are required to “develop awareness of how classical sources reflect issues relevant to both the classical world and today, such as questions of gender, belief, sexuality and citizenship.” As primary sources for the classical world, inscriptions can offer us a great deal of insight into these areas.

In these notes we discuss a number of inscriptions which are relevant to this Outcome. We address the Greek cultural aspects of the GCSE curriculum, covering the Thematic Studies on Myth and Religion (especially Hercules, priests and priestesses, animal sacrifice, death and burial) and Women in the Ancient World (especially young women, women at home, women and religion) and the Literature and Culture element on War and Warfare (especially equipment and impact on society).

Students should be encouraged to acknowledge the time period from which evidence derives and what it can tell us in relation to the questions posed. Any relevant use of additional non-prescribed sources will be credited by examiners. For Classical Civilisation, studying extra sources gives students a greater range to draw from for the longer 15-mark (GCSE) and 30-mark (A Level) essay answers. Going beyond the set sources, however, is not a requirement to get full marks in a particular question.