OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408): how The World of the Hero, Culture and the Arts and Beliefs and Ideas fit together
A complete guide to OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (specification H408). Explains the three written components (the compulsory World of the Hero on Homer and Virgil, one Culture and the Arts option, one Beliefs and Ideas option), the five question types from short answer to the 30-mark essay, the assessment objectives AO1, AO2 and AO3, and how to revise the most popular options.
OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (specification H408) studies the literature, art, thought and history of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, with everything read in English translation. It is assessed by three written examinations and has no coursework. This page explains how the components fit together and how this site is organised around the most popular options.
The three components
- Component 1: The World of the Hero (H408/11), compulsory (40%)
- A 2 hour 20 minute paper marked out of 100. You study one Homeric epic in full (the Iliad or the Odyssey) and the whole of Virgil's Aeneid. The paper has a Homer section, a Virgil section and a comparative section ending in a 30-mark essay.
- Component group 2: Culture and the Arts (30%)
- A 1 hour 45 minute paper marked out of 75. You choose one option from Greek Theatre (H408/21), The Imperial Image (H408/22), The Invention of the Barbarian (H408/23) and Greek Art (H408/24). These options combine the study of literature with visual and material culture.
- Component group 3: Beliefs and Ideas (30%)
- A 1 hour 45 minute paper marked out of 75. You choose one option from Greek Religion (H408/31), Love and Relationships (H408/32), Politics of the Late Republic (H408/33) and Democracy and the Athenians (H408/34). These options pair an area of classical thought with literary and material evidence.
The five question types
Every H408 paper is built from the same five question types:
- Short-answer question (about 4 to 6 marks), testing precise knowledge of a source or detail.
- 10-mark stimulus question on a printed passage, image or object.
- 10-mark idea question, answered from your wider knowledge rather than a single source.
- 20-mark essay.
- 30-mark essay (the comparative essay in The World of the Hero).
The 10-mark questions usually split their marks AO1 and AO3; the 20-mark and 30-mark essays test all three assessment objectives together.
The three assessment objectives
- AO1 (40%). Knowledge and understanding of classical literature and material culture and how it reflects its cultural context.
- AO2 (30%). Analyse, interpret and evaluate classical literature and material culture as primary evidence.
- AO3 (30%). Analyse and evaluate classical sources, and scholars' views, to reach and support conclusions about the classical world.
Knowing the target AO is half the battle: a stimulus question wants close analysis of the printed source, an idea question wants your own selected evidence, and an essay wants a sustained argument supported by precise sources and a clear judgement.
The options on this site
This site covers the compulsory core and four popular options, each with an overview guide, a paired quiz and detailed dot-point pages:
- The World of the Hero: Homer (the Iliad and the Odyssey) and Virgil's Aeneid.
- Culture and the Arts: Greek Theatre, and The Imperial Image (the image of Augustus).
- Beliefs and Ideas: Greek Religion, and Democracy and the Athenians.
How to study Classical Civilisation
Work from OCR's prescribed sources, because the questions are written directly from them. Know your epic and the Aeneid in detail, and learn the named texts and objects for each option. Build a bank of short quotations and source descriptions, then drill the five question types in isolation, giving most practice to the 20-mark and 30-mark essays. Always anchor essays in specific sources, because AO2 and AO3 reward the precise, evaluated use of evidence rather than general assertion.
Classical Civilisation guides
In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.
- OCR Classical Civilisation Democracy and the Athenians: a complete overview of the option
A complete overview of the OCR Classical Civilisation Democracy and the Athenians option (H408/34). Explains how the paper is examined, the development of Athenian democracy, its institutions, citizenship and exclusion, the role of rhetoric, and the contemporary criticisms, with the source skills the option rewards.
15 min readRead → - OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Religion: a complete overview of the option
A complete overview of the OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Religion option (H408/31). Explains how the paper is examined, the nature of the gods, sacrifice and ritual, sacred space and temples, festivals, oracles, mysteries and divination, and beliefs about death, with the source skills the option rewards.
15 min readRead → - OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Theatre: a complete overview of the option
A complete overview of the OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Theatre option (H408/21). Explains how the paper is examined, the theatre space and staging conventions, the City Dionysia, and the three set plays (Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Euripides' Bacchae and Aristophanes' Frogs), with the visual and literary source skills the option rewards.
15 min readRead → - OCR Classical Civilisation The Imperial Image: a complete overview of the option
A complete overview of the OCR Classical Civilisation The Imperial Image option (H408/22). Explains how the paper is examined, the transformation of Octavian into Augustus, and how statues, monuments, coins and poetry projected an image of peace, piety, victory, dynasty and divine connection, with the source skills the option rewards.
15 min readRead → - OCR Classical Civilisation The World of the Hero (Homer): a complete overview of the Iliad and the Odyssey
A complete overview of the Homer half of OCR Classical Civilisation Component 1, The World of the Hero. Explains how the Iliad and the Odyssey are examined, the key themes of the heroic code, the gods, fate and homecoming, and how the Homer section connects to the Virgil and comparative sections of H408/11.
16 min readRead → - OCR Classical Civilisation The World of the Hero (Virgil): a complete overview of the Aeneid
A complete overview of the Virgil half of OCR Classical Civilisation Component 1, The World of the Hero. Explains how the Aeneid is examined, the key themes of pietas, furor, fatum and the cost of empire, the Augustan context, and how to compare Virgil with Homer in the comparative section of H408/11.
15 min readRead →
Classical Civilisation practice quizzes
Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.
- OCR Classical Civilisation Democracy and the Athenians overview quiz12 questionsStart →
- OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Religion overview quiz12 questionsStart →
- OCR Classical Civilisation Greek Theatre overview quiz12 questionsStart →
- OCR Classical Civilisation The Imperial Image overview quiz12 questionsStart →
- OCR Classical Civilisation The World of the Hero (Homer) overview quiz12 questionsStart →
- OCR Classical Civilisation The World of the Hero (Virgil) overview quiz12 questionsStart →
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