War and Warfare

Sparta at War in the 5th Century

• Spartan society, army and command 3 notes
  • Spartan Social Structure and the Agoge
  • Spartan Battle Tactics and Equipment
  • The Spartan Command Structure and Non-Citizen Roles
• The idealisation of war and warfare
• The battle of Thermopylae

Athens at War in the 5th Century

• Athenian military structure and tactics 3 notes
  • Athenian Military Organisation, Recruitment and Funding
  • Athenian Land and Naval Tactics and Equipment
  • The Political and Social Impact of the Athenian Military
• The battle of Salamis

• The Roman Military in the Imperial Period 3 notes
  • Recruitment, Training and Funding of the Imperial Military
  • Legionary Organization and the Legionary Fortress
  • Roman Military Equipment and Battle Tactics

The Romans at War

• The battle of Actium
• Trajan’s campaign against the Dacians 2 notes
  • Trajan’s Dacian Campaign: Strategy and Imperial Image
  • The Dacian Wars: Material Sources and Human Impact

Visual and Material Sources

• Visual and Material Sources
• Visual Culture Study Requirements 3 notes
  • Analyzing the Design and Purpose of Military Monuments
  • Challenges and Context in Interpreting Military Sources
  • Historical Realities and Audience Responses to Visual Culture

• Literary Context 2 notes
  • Authors, Genres and Composition of Classical War Texts
  • Narrative Techniques, Style and the Divine in War Literature

• Characterisation 3 notes
  • Actions and Traits of Main Characters
  • Character Interactions and Relationships
  • Depictions of Social Groups and Non-Combatants

Themes in Warfare Literature

• Themes 3 notes
  • Glory, Honour and Comradeship
  • Ideology, Hubris and Personal Motivations
  • The Horror, Glorification and Human Impact of War

• Heroes and Warfare 3 notes
  • Defining the Classical Hero
  • Literary Contexts and Attitudes towards War
  • Ancient Audience Responses to Military Themes

Literary Sources

• Prescribed Texts 2 notes
  • Greek Literary Sources on Warfare: Homer and Tyrtaeus
  • Roman Literary Sources on Warfare: Virgil and Horace
• Literature Study Requirements 3 notes
  • Analysing Literary Form, Plot and Characterisation
  • Evaluating Military Themes and Social Realities
  • Applying Contextual Knowledge and Audience Response