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Classics Jowett Sendelar Essay Competition 2011

For Year 9 and under: choose one from the following categories and write approximately 1,500 - 2,500 words. Illustrations (with captions) are welcome.

a)         WARFARE

Imagine that you are a modern psychologist asked to write a character report on Julius Caesar.  Present your findings, and suggest what aspects of his character led to his successes and to his assassination. 

 

In your answer, you should include details of his early career, his campaigns in Gaul, his invasion in Britain, and his role in the civil war, amongst other details. 

 

b)         GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Imagine that you are Odysseus, sitting inside the wooden horse at Troy.  Write a letter to your wife, Penelope, explaining what you have gone through since leaving home, and setting out your hopes for the future. 

 

You should include details of the journey to Troy, and of key incidents during the ten years fighting there, amongst other details.  You should bear in mind Odysseus' current situation, and what he knows, or does not know, about the situation at home in Ithaca. 

 

c)         GREEK GODS

'The Greek gods cause more trouble than good when they intervene in the lives of mortals.'  To what extent do you agree with this view?

 

You should refer to a range of Greek myths to support your argument.  You might consider the assistance given by the gods to epic heroes, the intervention of the gods in the Trojan War and the role of the gods in Greek Tragedy.

 

d)         ART AND ARCHITECTURE

A proposal has been made to the Ancient Wonders of the World Selection Committee to include the Parthenon as the eighth wonder of the Ancient World.  As leader of the Athenian delegation present your case in support of the proposal…

 

You will need to include reference to the temple's architectural design, and the statues and other works of art that adorned it, amongst other things.

 

e)         ROME AND ALEXANDRIA

Rome and Alexandria were two of the largest cities of the Roman Empire in the 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. In which would you have preferred to live as a citizen and why?

 

You should include reference to social and living conditions, entertainment and leisure, public buildings and amenities, and the status of the cities as centres of trade and administration, amongst other things.

Entries MUST be of A4 paper format (not on disc); printed, or written, in black or blue ink. Please do not use difficult-to-read fonts (e.g. all capitals).

Candidates MUST put their name, date of birth, and school on their entries. Please put name and school on the front page as well. The judges would like to see a bibliography or a list of the sources consulted. A word-count should be given.

Entries should be marked "Jowett Sendelar Essay Competition" and sent to: Ms K S Wrathmell, Bolton School Boys' Division, Chorley New Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 4PA. The closing date for entries is 1st August 2011. Candidates will be notified in December 2011.

Please remember it is essential to include a stamped addressed envelope for the return of scripts, reports and any prizes. PLEASE attach the correct postage!

 

Classics Lesson Ben Tillbrook, James Chia and Mohammed Fazal

Bolton School Boys Ben Tillbrook, James Chia and Mohammed Fazal were successful in the 2010 competition

Classics lesson