How do you compare Greek and Roman material, and revise effectively for the J199 papers?
Comparing Greek and Roman evidence and revising for J199: how the Myth and Religion paper draws on both cultures, how to compare them in an answer, how the two equally weighted papers and their components fit together, and how to revise the named gods, heroes, sources and terms the exam rewards.
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) guide to comparing Greek and Roman material and revising for the exam. Covers how Myth and Religion draws on both cultures, how to compare them in an answer, how the two equally weighted papers fit together, and how to revise the named gods, heroes, sources and terms, a core J199 skill.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
OCR Classical Civilisation studies both the Greek and the Roman world, and the Myth and Religion paper in particular constantly asks you to compare them. This dot point is about two linked skills: how to compare Greek and Roman material in an answer, and how to revise effectively across the two equally weighted papers and their components, learning the named gods, heroes, sources and terms the exam rewards.
The answer
Why comparison matters
How to compare well
Knowing the structure of the exam
How to revise the content and skills
To revise well, learn the detail and drill the skills:
- Detail: named gods and their Roman equivalents, heroes and their myths, the prescribed sources and monuments, the set text (the Odyssey books or the Roman authors), and the key terms (temenos, oikos, xenia, metis, patria potestas).
- Skills: practise source analysis (describe, identify, explain), comparison (Greek and Roman side by side), and the 15-mark essay (a balanced argument with a judgement).
Revising the content and the skills together is what lifts marks.
Examples in context
A strong comparison answer sets Greek and Roman points side by side with named examples and reaches a comparative judgement.
Try this
Q1. What is the key difference between a comparison answer and two descriptions? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. A comparison sets the Greek and Roman versions side by side, point by point, noting similarities and differences and reaching a comparative judgement; two descriptions just deal with each culture separately without comparing them.
Q2. Explain how the structure of the J199 exam should shape your revision. [Short explanation]
- Cue. There are two equally weighted papers (a thematic study and a Literature and Culture option), each mixing short, source and 15-mark questions and testing AO1 and AO2, so you should revise the named content for both options and deliberately practise each question type (short answers, source analysis, comparison and the extended essay).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J199/11 2019 (style)8 marksCompare the way the Greeks and the Romans worshipped their gods. [8]Show worked answer →
A comparison question (here 8 marks, AO1 and AO2). The marker rewards a genuine comparison of the two cultures, not two separate descriptions.
Similarities. Both worshipped many anthropomorphic gods through sacrifice at altars, prayer, offerings and festivals, and both saw worship as a civic duty that kept the gods' favour.
Differences. The Romans largely adopted the Greek gods under Roman names (Zeus/Jupiter); Roman religion was more bound up with the state, with priestly colleges (pontiffs, augurs) and a strong concern for reading omens; and Roman temples differed in form (the high podium and frontal porch).
Top marks. Points set side by side (Greek and Roman together) with named examples, reaching a comparative judgement, rather than one block on Greece and one on Rome.
OCR J199 2021 (style, any component)12 marksExplain how best to revise for the OCR Classical Civilisation papers. [12]Show worked answer →
A reflective question on revision (treated here as a 12-mark explanation). Reward an accurate, practical account.
Know the structure. Two equally weighted papers (one thematic study such as Myth and Religion, one Literature and Culture option such as The Homeric World or Roman City Life), each 90 marks and 50%, with short, source and 15-mark questions.
Learn the detail. Named gods and their Roman equivalents, heroes and their myths, the prescribed sources and monuments, the set text (the Odyssey books or the Roman authors), and the key terms.
Drill the skills. Practise source analysis (describe, identify, explain), comparison (Greek and Roman together) and the 15-mark essay (balanced argument with a judgement).
Related dot points
- The 15-mark extended response: how the 'how far do you agree' essay is marked (AO1 knowledge and AO2 analysis and evaluation), how to plan a balanced two-sided argument with named evidence, and how to reach a supported judgement under timed conditions.
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) guide to the 15-mark extended response. Covers how the essay is marked (AO1 knowledge and AO2 analysis and evaluation), how to plan a balanced two-sided argument with named evidence, and how to reach a supported judgement under timed conditions, the key essay skill across all J199 components.
- Analysing prescribed sources and stimulus material: how the picture and stimulus questions work, how to identify and describe a visual source (a statue, vase, building or coin) and a literary source, and how to move from describing what is shown (AO1) to explaining its meaning (AO2).
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) guide to the source and stimulus questions. Covers how the picture and stimulus questions work, how to identify and describe a visual source (statue, vase, building or coin) and a literary source, and how to move from describing what is shown (AO1) to explaining its meaning (AO2), a core J199 skill across all components.
- The nature of the gods (immortality, anthropomorphism, power and limitations), the major Olympian gods and goddesses and their Roman equivalents and spheres of influence, their symbols and attributes in literature and material culture, and myths showing the gods interacting with mortals.
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) study of the gods in Myth and Religion. Covers the nature of the gods (immortality, anthropomorphism, power and limits), the twelve Olympians and their Roman equivalents and spheres, their symbols and attributes in art, and myths of gods and mortals, with the source and essay skills the J199/11 paper rewards.
- The role of religion in the public life of Athens and Rome, the nature and duties of priests and priestesses and how they were chosen, and the place of religion in civic identity, including the link between the gods and the well-being of the city.
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) study of religion in civic life in Myth and Religion. Covers the role of religion in the public life of Athens and Rome, the nature, selection and duties of priests and priestesses, and how religion expressed civic identity and protected the well-being of the city, with the source and essay skills the J199/11 paper rewards.
- Roman temples and religious architecture: how Roman temples drew on but differed from Greek ones (the high podium, frontal steps and deep porch), their location in the forum and city, key examples such as the Maison Carree and the Pantheon, and what they reveal about Roman religion and power.
An OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) study of Roman temples in Myth and Religion. Covers how Roman temples drew on but differed from Greek ones (the podium, frontal steps and deep porch), their location in the forum, examples such as the Maison Carree and the Pantheon, and what they reveal about Roman religion and power, with the source and essay skills the J199/11 paper rewards.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Classical Civilisation J199 specification — OCR (2017)