Ancient History 2018 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• avoid the use of colloquial language
• use and effectively apply relevant historical sources
• avoid crossover of content from the Core Topic (Pompeii and Herculaneum) into other areas of the exam, especially with respect to other historical society questions.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• make a judgement
• provide specific evidence to support their judgement
• demonstrate their own knowledge relevant to the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring they make a well supported judgement rather than only concentrating on providing evidence for religion in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Question 7

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain what the evidence reveals instead of describing food and dining
• support their information with specific evidence
• demonstrate a breadth of knowledge
• use historical terms accurately.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to specific, relevant evidence to support their response
• using relevant historical terms.

Question 8

In better responses, students were able to:

• use historical terms accurately
• engage with the sources
• refer to both Pompeii and Herculaneum
• use specific and relevant examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• answering the specific question rather than using prepared material
• avoiding general comments and instead using specific examples.

Question 10 – Society in New Kingdom Egypt to the death of Amenhotep III

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline accurate geographical elements or the purpose of the valley (b)
• provide relevant historical information to support the ideas they were presenting (d)
• comment on the strengths and limitations of the of the source (d)
• expand on relevant aspects of social structures to compliment the source (d)
• make distinctions about the experiences of different social groups in New Kingdom Society (d)
• show a clear understanding of the concepts relevant to the question, for example, social structure not social life (d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• incorporating the use of evidence to answer the question
• making the source the focal point
• carefully choosing sources from the correct time period to as to avoid making a mistake with using sources from the other periods to support their answer.

Question 15 – The Bronze Age: Society in Minoan Crete

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide the definition of Thalassocracy as outlined by 5^th century historians and list features such as a maritime empire (link to the sea), existence of a navy; trade; no citadel (a)
• use specific information about Crete being an island in the Mediterranean: naming the mountain ranges, referring to the Messara plain with detail such as, it was fertile and used for crops, the slopes were covered with cypress trees; reference to the existence caves and the Lalitha plateau was where the vines grew; existence of limestone and gypsum deposits (b)
• provide specific examples and refer to the storage area and Linear B tablets naming emmer wheat, cabbage, legumes, figs, olives and grapes. Seafood/Octopus vase, wine and oil (c)
• refer to frescoes such as Blue Ladies and La Parisienne to explain female clothing; references to flounced shirts, open breasted bolero tops, bare footed and that men wore loincloths/kilts and leather calf boots in some representations. They also made use of other specific knowledge to support their answer such as, that the Chieftain cup and Harvester cup were used to deal with male clothing and class distinctions were also made (c)
• provide a variety of sources to explain what evidence revealed about Minoan religion. It was evident that students knew their primary sources, however, there was limited evidence or reference to secondary sources such as Castleden or historiography on this topic (d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring a broad range of issues implied in the question were referred to in their response (d)
• refraining from converting responses on Minoan women into a response on Minoan religion (d).

Question 17 – Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra 371 BC

In better responses, students were able to:

• recognise that the Menelaion was a temple and that features are different to function (a)
• identify the specific characteristics of the festival which includes specific terms rather than providing generic features associated with all Spartan festivals (b)
• provide specific examples of food and clothing as it was differentiated according to class and gender (c)
• use correct terms and concepts related to actual items of clothing (c)
• link food and clothing with such social institutions as the agoge, sysittia and the status of women (c)
• use, rather than simply restate, the contents of Source P and other sources (d)
• provide details that state what each of the sources revealed in relation to the Spartan economy (d)
• provide detailed information across a range of features relevant to the economy additional to those related to the mandatory source (d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• using specific terms and concepts throughout the response (d)
• integrating the provided source into the response (d).

Question 18 – Athenian society in the time of Pericles

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide specific details about the boule and its functions (b)
• identify a variety of food stuffs available to the Athenians (c)
• address possible class distinctions with access to food (c)
• comment on the idea that class distinctions are not as obvious with regards to clothing (c)
• use specific terminology relevant to the question: chiton, himation, chlamys, peplos (c)
• describe in detail the four citizen classes (d)
• explore the structure and a range of features of Athenian democracy (d)
• explore the concept of the increasing mobility of class (d).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding overlap with the Core Topic, especially with terms which are specific to the Core Topic.

Question 23 – The Near East: Xerxes

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an answer that considered the actual role of Xerxes in the preparations for and the invasion of the Greek mainland (a)
• incorporate a range of both ancient and modern sources, demonstrating a grasp of Herodotus (a)
• provide comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of Xerxes' religious policy by considering what the policy was and how it was effective (b)
• engage with the two revolts mentioned in the source as well as other material about Xerxes relationship with Ahura Mazda and Persian toleration of other religions
• use ancient sources including Herodotus, Persian inscriptions, as well as modern writers from across the 20^th and 21^st centuries (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating accurate knowledge of Xerxes' involvement in the invasion
• refraining from the use of prepared responses on different questions such as Xerxes' early reign and the causes of the Persian Wars (a)
• developing an argument rather than just providing a simple response.

Question 25 – Greece: Pericles

In better responses, students were able to:

• refer to specific events in Pericles military career, supporting this description with detailed evidence from ancient sources (a)
• provide a wide ranging assessment of Pericles' effectiveness as a politician (b)
• draw upon detailed source information on the many facets of the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing specific and detailed information rather than referring generally to Pericles' position as Strategos without detailing any of the key events in his career
• referring more closely to the source material on which our understanding of Pericles' life is built.

Question 26 – Greece: Alexander the Great

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe specific events involved in Alexander's succession
• draw upon a range of accurate ancient sources to provide supporting evidence
• specifically answer the question rather than provide a general assessment of Alexander's character
• provide a multi-faceted response that comprehensively deals with multiple areas of the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating an understanding of the events and issues involved in Alexander's succession
• avoiding general statements about sources that are merely a reference to a name (Arrian) or a false attribution (Herodotus says...) without providing information that the source contains.

Question 28 – Rome: Tiberius Gracchus

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify Tiberius Gracchus’ political supporters and provide a detailed description of each relationship rather than simply name individuals and/or provide a biographical account of these individuals (a)
• support their answer with historical knowledge that was able to show the nexus between the relationship of each individual with something that Tiberius was able to achieve (a)
• identify motives of individuals and/or groups, such as the Senate, used as a basis of conspiring to assassinate Tiberius (b)
• provide a clear assessment of whether the reasons identified were valid as the main focus of the response, rather than a detailed description of the circumstances of how Tiberius was assassinated (b)
• integrate reference to the source provided as well as other sources which focus upon discussions of the veracity of the reasons for the assassination (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing specific examples to demonstrate the effects of the relationship for Tiberius' political endeavours
• engaging with the discourse offered by historians who examine these various reasons. This would result in responses that go beyond simply describing the reasons identified.

Question 29 – Rome: Julius Caesar

In better responses, students were able to:

• comprehensively describe Julius Caesar's campaigns during the Gallic Wars (a)
• correctly identify more than one campaign (Alesia) associated with the Gallic Wars (a)
• clearly provide a comprehensive description of each campaign and identify and support this information with historical knowledge (a)
• clearly and correctly identify the various reasons that individuals such as Brutus and/or groups such as the Senate wanted to assassinate Caesar (a)
• effectively use the source as the starting point for their assessment (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• extending answers to go beyond the Battle of Alesia as this was not the only campaign fought during Caesar's time in Gaul (a)
• providing details concerning these battles as an essential component of the description required by the question (a)
• identifying the various reasons Caesar was assassinated, going beyond those particularly identified by the source (b)
• ensuring their response is not limited to only the source provided.

Question 30 – Rome: Agrippina the Younger

In better responses, students were able to:

• detail a range of roles undertaken by Agrippina and provide specific examples to support the roles identified (a)
• integrate accurate and relevant ancient and modern sources (a)
• demonstrate the range of roles across the time of the reign of Claudius (a)
• clearly explain the range of motives and personalities involved in the murder of Agrippina (b)
• use clear and relevant use of the source to assess the motives (b)
• make clear and consistent assessment of the motives throughout the response (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• restricting the response to the period of Claudius' reign and being clear on the role/s held by Agrippina and what that entailed (a)
• avoiding the use of prepared responses and forcing them to fit the question.

Question 32 – New Kingdom Egypt to the death of Thutmose IV

In better responses, students were able to:

• develop a clear, consistent argument and judgement with clear links back to the question
• use a range of evidence, archaeological and modern historians, correctly named, to enhance the argument or to support the argument
• use detailed and comprehensive historical information
• structure the response logically.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that relevant content is included, for example, Hatshepsut was not part of the reunification process
• knowing specifically what each historical figure did
• linking historical information to the question
• avoiding a narrative of either the development of the empire/ army/ reunification
• resisting inventing the names of historians or sources.

Question 33 – New Kingdom Egypt from Amenhotep III to the death of Ramesses II

In better responses, students were able to:

• make a judgement on how successful Seti I was as a pharaoh (a)
• define 'empire' and then show how it was managed by the pharaohs of the period using a wide range of archaeological and modern sources (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding giving a chronological narrative of Seti I's achievements (a)
• integrating evidence and sources into their argument.

Question 38 – The Greek world 500–440 BC

In better responses, students were able to:

• discuss a wide range of relevant issues
• write clear, concise and specific paragraphs that are relevant to the question
• use a variety of both modern and ancient sources to further their argument.

Areas for students to improve include:

• moving beyond a basic recount and including evidence, considering a variety of perspectives on the Spartan contribution (a)
• making clear reference to accurate source material and moving away from a simple recount of the Persian wars and a general discussion of every battle (a)
• making clear and explicit links to the question and refraining from becoming side tracked by writing about the Persian Wars or Athenian imperialism (a)
• expanding the focus of the response beyond a few causative factors for the change in Athens' relationship with her allies.
• avoiding a generalised description of growing imperialism of the Delian League, without development of the numerous elements of this issue (b)
• including a discussion about the change in relationship with Sparta, a one-time ally of Athens and being clear on the difference between the Hellenic, Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues (b).

Question 40 – 4th century Greece to the death of Philip II of Macedon

In better responses, students were able to:

• compare different accounts of the same issue from different primary/ancient sources
• integrate the interpretations of different secondary historians within an explanation
• express a precise understanding of the underlying issues
• explain the importance of secondary consequences.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using events to explain why an issue was important
• using specific examples to show their understanding of a key concept
• avoiding a reliance wholly on superficial military aspects of Philip's career.

Question 43 – The fall of the Republic 78–31 BC

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify issues and elements that are relevant to the question and discuss these using the careers of significant individuals as exemplars, displaying deep knowledge and understanding of this period
• understand the paradox evident in an evaluation of Sulla's legacy (a)
• understand Caesar’s term as Dictator as both a result of recent political developments at the time and a catalyst for those that followed (b)
• address the elements of their response in a logical manner, proceeding either thematically or chronologically
• support general statements with specific examples, using a range of appropriate terms and concepts
• support the response with appropriate citation of sources, especially for matters of interpretation and evaluation
• sustain a response over an appropriate length, covering all relevant aspects of the period in question
• show extensive historical knowledge of both Sulla’s actions/reforms and draw direct connections as to how this influenced subsequent/later developments
• fit the context for Caesar's dictatorship within an exploration of the fall of the Republic, not just dismiss the dictatorship and give their own prepared, 'fall the Republic', response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• resisting the urge to present a prepared answer
• being prepared to answer a question across the full extent of the period
• learning the details and correctly naming and attributing sources, both ancient and modern
• showing an understanding of the term dictatorship in its Roman context rather than applying a modern trope
• using appropriate terms and concepts and historical examples to support claims
• avoiding a narrative presentation that becomes irrelevant to the question
• avoiding citing the names of ‘authorities’ without warrant and for purposes irrelevant to the question.

Question 44 – The Augustan Age 44 BC–AD 14

In better responses, students were able to:

• consider the question in relation to the Augustan Age Historical Period
• plan their response with holistic judgements across the syllabus content and specific judgements for individual discussion/as thematic points
• begin each paragraph with a defining sentence outlining the new topic/theme for discussion
• include accurate and relevant historical detail
• include relevant sources, both ancient and modern to support their discussion
• include relevant numismatics, statues and buildings as evidence to support their discussion
• include a succinct summative conclusion reinforcing the judgements made.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making judgements rather than statements
• making a holistic judgement across the historical period
• including the most relevant historical detail to answer the question
• making consistent links back to the question
• writing a thematic response rather than a narrative/descriptive response
• referring to ancient and modern sources which are specifically relevant to the discussion and judgement made.

Question 45 – The Julio-Claudians and the Roman Empire AD 14–69

In better responses, students were able to:

• consider the question holistically across the Julio-Claudian period
• make judgements referring to the historical period in the question (development and change) as well as to the individual Emperors (significance and relationship)
• write an introduction succinctly emphasising the main discussion points; including a thesis statement, with the holistic judgement
• include consistent links back to the question, with the judgement/s
• include accurate and relevant historical detail
• include relevant sources, both ancient and modern to support their discussion
• include relevant numismatics, statues and buildings as evidence to support their discussion.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making judgements rather than statements
• making a holistic judgement across the historical period
• including the most relevant historical detail to answer the question
• making consistent links to the question
• writing a thematic response rather than a narrative/descriptive response
• referring to ancient and modern sources which are specifically relevant to the discussion and judgement.