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Subjects · Leaving Certificate

Leaving Cert Classical Studies

What has come up on the Classical Studies papers (2023–2025), topic by topic, with step-by-step practice at Higher Level and Ordinary Level.

Higher Level Ordinary Level

Classical Studies, Higher Level(6 marks)

Three quick ones from the Classical Studies topics that come up most.

(a)Who takes Ascanius' shape to make Dido fall in love with Aeneas?
  1. Mercury
  2. Cupid
  3. Iris
(b)What did Alexander do about the Gordian knot at Gordium?
  1. Had Aristotle untie it by patient reasoning
  2. Refused to touch it, fearing the curse on it
  3. Cut it with his sword, in the best-known version
(c)How many cohorts made up a legion in Caesar's time?
  1. 10
  2. 12
  3. 4
Show the answers

(a) Cupid

(b) Cut it with his sword, in the best-known version

(c) 10

Your turn: pick the answer for each one.

Higher Level

400 flash cards and 240 step-by-step drill questions at Higher Level.

What comes up

How many of the last 3 Classical Studies Higher Level papers asked each topic.

TopicAskedLast seenHow often
Aeneid: plot & key episodes banker3 of 32025
Alexander: life & Persian campaign banker3 of 32025
Caesar: life & Gallic campaign banker3 of 32025
Odyssey: plot & key episodes banker3 of 32025
Heroes, heroines & leadership banker3 of 32025
Horace: Odes & Epodes banker3 of 32025
Temple of Vesta & Vestals banker3 of 32025
Armies, tactics & key battles banker3 of 32025
Epic techniques & poetic devices banker3 of 32025
Erechtheion banker3 of 32025
Greek & Roman funerary practices banker3 of 32025
Parthenon & Panathenaea banker3 of 32025
Plato's Crito & Socrates banker3 of 32025
Temple architecture & terms banker3 of 32025

More topics: Olympian gods & their symbols, Aeneid as Augustan propaganda, Afterlife & the Underworld, Circus Maximus & chariot racing, Colosseum & gladiator games, Myths & the nature of the gods, Pantheon, Persians, Gauls & barbarians, Role of spectacle: Rome & today, Sources & characterisation, Tragic devices & catharsis, Women in epic & in society, City Dionysia & civic role, Gods & fate in the epics, The Chorus, Theatre of Dionysus & staging, War & its impact in the epics.

Try three

Heroes, heroines & leadership, 3 marks

After the storm in Aeneid 1, how does Aeneas lead his despairing men?

  1. Blames Juno and threatens to turn back
  2. Hands command to Achates
  3. Hides his own fear and speaks words of hope
Show the answer

Hides his own fear and speaks words of hope

He tells them they have survived worse and that one day it may help to remember even this. Virgil says he feigns hope in his face and keeps his grief hidden: a leader's burden.

Parthenon & Panathenaea, 3 marks

Besides Lapiths and centaurs, gods and Giants, and Greeks and Amazons, what do the Parthenon metopes show?

  1. The birth of Athena
  2. The sack of Troy
  3. The labours of Heracles
Show the answer

The sack of Troy

The north metopes show the fall of Troy. Heracles' labours are on the temple of Zeus at Olympia, and Athena's birth is on the east pediment.

Caesar: life & Gallic campaign, 3 marks

How did Caesar win the siege of Alesia?

  1. Two rings of siege works, facing in and out
  2. Diverting the Rhine to flood the town
  3. Bribing the Gallic relief army
Show the answer

Two rings of siege works, facing in and out

The inner line trapped Vercingetorix; the outer line held off a huge relief army. Caesar fought on both fronts and won, a feat of engineering and nerve.

Practise Classical Studies HL free

Ordinary Level

300 flash cards and 150 step-by-step drill questions at Ordinary Level.

What comes up

How many of the last 3 Classical Studies Ordinary Level papers asked each topic.

TopicAskedLast seenHow often
Alexander: life & Persian campaign banker3 of 32025
Caesar: life & Gallic campaign banker3 of 32025
Myths & the nature of the gods banker3 of 32025
Women in epic & in society banker3 of 32025
Aeneid: plot & key episodes banker3 of 32025
Heroes, heroines & leadership banker3 of 32025
Olympian gods & their symbols banker3 of 32025
Theatre of Dionysus & staging banker3 of 32025
Colosseum & gladiator games banker3 of 32025
Gods & fate in the epics banker3 of 32025
Greek & Roman funerary practices banker3 of 32025
Horace: Odes & Epodes banker3 of 32025
Odyssey: plot & key episodes banker3 of 32025
Persians, Gauls & barbarians banker3 of 32025

More topics: Role of spectacle: Rome & today, Sources & characterisation, City Dionysia & civic role, Plato's Crito & Socrates, Armies, tactics & key battles, Circus Maximus & chariot racing, Erechtheion, Pantheon, Parthenon & Panathenaea, Temple architecture & terms, The Chorus, Afterlife & the Underworld, Temple of Vesta & Vestals.

Try three

Heroes, heroines & leadership, 3 marks

After the storm in Aeneid 1, how does Aeneas show good leadership?

  1. He blames his men angrily for the shipwreck
  2. He sails off alone to look for help from Dido
  3. He hides his own worry and cheers up his men
Show the answer

He hides his own worry and cheers up his men

Aeneas tells his men that one day they will be glad to remember these troubles. Inside he is sick with worry, but he keeps a hopeful face for their sake.

Caesar: life & Gallic campaign, 3 marks

After which victory did Caesar send the message I came, I saw, I conquered?

  1. Pharsalus
  2. Zela
  3. Alesia
Show the answer

Zela

In 47 BC Caesar beat King Pharnaces very quickly at Zela. The Latin words veni, vidi, vici boast about his speed.

Sources & characterisation, 3 marks

Arrian based his history of Alexander mainly on the accounts of?

  1. Ptolemy and Aristobulus
  2. Homer and Hesiod
  3. Caesar and Pompey
Show the answer

Ptolemy and Aristobulus

Both men were with Alexander on campaign. Arrian trusted Ptolemy, who later became king of Egypt, but both had reasons to show Alexander in a good light.

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