1999 HSC Ancient History Notes from the Examination Centre Board of Studies 2000 Published by Board of Studies NSW GPO Box 5300 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia Tel: (02) 9367 8111 Fax: (02) 9262 6270 Internet: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au April 2000 Schools may reproduce all or part of this document for classroom use only. Anyone wishing to reproduce elements of this document for any other purpose must contact the Copyright Officer, Board of Studies NSW. Ph: (02 9367 8111; fax: (02) 9279 1482. ISBN 0 7313 4473 1 2000184 Contents Introduction.....................................................................................................................................4 2 Unit — Personalities and Their Times ..........................................................................................5 Section I — Ancient Societies .........................................................................................................5 Part A — Egypt .........................................................................................................................5 Part B — Near East....................................................................................................................7 Part C — Greece........................................................................................................................8 Part D — Rome .......................................................................................................................12 Section II — Personalities and Groups .......................................................................................... 14 Part E — Egypt........................................................................................................................14 Part F — Near East ..................................................................................................................15 Part G — Greece......................................................................................................................17 Part H — Rome .......................................................................................................................18 2/3 Unit (Common) .......................................................................................................................21 Section I — Ancient Societies .......................................................................................................21 Part A — Egypt .......................................................................................................................21 Part B — Near East..................................................................................................................23 Part C — Greece......................................................................................................................25 Part D — Rome .......................................................................................................................28 Section II — Personalities And Groups .........................................................................................30 Part E — Egypt........................................................................................................................30 Part F — Far East ....................................................................................................................32 Part G — Greece......................................................................................................................33 Part H — Rome .......................................................................................................................35 Part I — General......................................................................................................................37 Section III — Historical Periods....................................................................................................38 Part J — Egypt.........................................................................................................................38 Part K — Near East .................................................................................................................42 Part L — Greece ......................................................................................................................45 Part M — Rome.......................................................................................................................49 3 Unit (Additional)........................................................................................................................53 Section I — Tombs and Burial Customs of Old Kingdom (Dynasties III–VI) and New Kingdom (Dynasties XVIII–XIX) Egypt.......................................................................................................53 Section II — The Athenian Agora from Mycenaean Times to AD 267 ..........................................54 Section III — Roman Britain AD 43 – 410....................................................................................57 Section IV — The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah ..........................................................................59 Section V — The Peloponnesian War............................................................................................60 Section VI — The Julio-Claudians ................................................................................................64 1999 HSC Ancient History Notes from the Examination Centre 1999 Higher School Certificate Ancient History Notes from the Examination Centre Introduction Candidature It was pleasing to note once more an increase in the number of candidates studying Ancient History. In 1999, 7433 candidates presented for the Higher School Certificate Examinations in Ancient History. The 1999 candidature was as follows: 2947 candidates presented for the 2 Unit Personalities and Their Times course. 3193 candidates presented for both the 2/3 Unit (Common) and the 3 Unit (Additional) courses. 1293 candidates presented for the 3 Unit course. The high standard of the responses at all levels was impressive. Answers have become more lengthy and a wide variety of sources, both written and archaeological, are being used most effectively. The most popular 3 Unit Option was once again Tacitus, with Thucydides and Egyptian Burial Customs vying for second place. The most popular society studied by 2 Unit and Personalities and Their Times candidates continues to be Sparta. It was, however, pleasing to see a small growth in the number of candidates studying the Roman societies. Hatshepsut and Agrippina continue to be the most popular personalities in the 2/3 Unit and the 2 Unit Personality and Their Times papers, while The Greek World: 500-450 BC and Augustus and the Julio – Claudians remain very popular 2 Unit Historical Periods. In the 2/3 Unit paper, Near Eastern topics such as Society in the Time of Ashurbanipal and Israel from Jeroboam I to the Fall of Samaria attracted even fewer candidates than in previous years. 4 1999 HSC Ancient History Examination Report 2 Unit — Personalities and Their Times Section I — Ancient Societies PART A — EGYPT Specific Comments Question 1 – Society in Old Kingdom Egypt Use Source A and your own knowledge to answer the following: (Source A : Relief from the Mastaba of the Vizier Mereruka) (a) EVIDENCE SECTION (i) What was a vizier? (ii) Describe the duties of a vizier. (iii) How important was trade in Old Kingdom Egypt? (iv) What do we know about the lives of craftsmen and scribes in Old Kingdom Egypt? (a) (i) Most candidates were aware that the vizier was the most important official in Old Kingdom Egypt, second only to the pharaoh. (ii) Most candidates were able to describe at least three duties of a vizier; few, however, referred to the stimulus material. (iii) Only a small number of students were able to explain the importance of trade in Old Kingdom Egypt, but most made a valiant attempt to describe some trading activities, goods and trading partners. Some mistakenly discussed Hatshepsut’s voyage to Punt. (iv) This question included the lives of both craftsmen and scribes; few students gave adequate attention to both and some obviously did not understand the term ‘craftsmen’. A number provided non-specific details of daily lives that could have been spent in C20th Sydney. (b) EMPATHY SECTION In answering this question, use your knowledge of this society. You are a king in Old Kingdom Egypt. Tell your children about the gods you worship and why they are important. Your answer should be AT LEAST ONE page in length. In poorer responses, candidates, as kings in Old Kingdom Egypt, gathered their children to their knees and listed three gods to be worshipped, stating that they would be punished if they neglected these deities. Little empathy was shown and there was little discussion of the importance of religion to an Old Kingdom pharaoh. In the better responses, candidates showed understanding and appreciation in displaying the kings’ position and worth, before discussing their relationship with important gods such as Re, Horus and Osiris – as well as their importance and duties. 5 1999 HSC Ancient History Examination Report Question 2 – Society in Middle Kingdom Egypt (a) EVIDENCE SECTION Use Source B and your own knowledge to answer the following. (Source B : Bust of Amenemhat III) (i) Who was Amenemhat III? What was his greatest building achievement? (ii) What is known about trade in Middle Kingdom times? (iii) What were the Coffin Texts? Why were they