Common Entrance Exam

In response to a request for guidance in dealing with the 'non-linguistic studies' section of the Common Entrance Latin exam, this page will collect links to helpful sources. The non-linguistic topics are as follows:

Domestic Life

Roman housing: layout and rooms; decoration [wall painting and mosaics] ; furniture; amenities.
Roman slavery: sources; purchase; conditions and treatment; possibility and methods of freedom.
Roman daily life: clothing; food and meals; bathing
Life and death: coming of age; marriage; death and burial

The City of Rome

Early Roman legends: Romulus and Remus; Horatius [Livy source]; Cloelia; [Livy source] Mucius Scaevola; [Livy source] Coriolanus [Livy source: Bk 2.34-40] ; Manlius Torquatus.
Entertainment: theatre; amphitheatre; circus; baths

The Army and Roman Britain

Army: organisation; equipment; camp; tombstones
Roman Britain: general historical outline; Julius Caesar; Claudius; Caratacus and Boudicca; towns, villas; Hadrian's Wall.

Greek Mythology

Perseus and Medusa
Theseus and the Monotaur
The Labours of Hercules
Jason and the Golden Fleece
The Trojan War
The wanderings of Odysseus

The syllabus informs us that "Questions are broadly based and are intended to elicit comprehension of the topics covered, enjoyment and sound English rather than the bare repetition of facts. Guidance may be given as to what ought to be included in the essay questions but there is an opportunity to give a personal response to the topic being examined. There is a wealth of resources available to the teacher and the scope and methods of approaching this section are left to the teacher's discretion."