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6. 2009 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre – Ancient History

2009 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre – Ancient History

Contents

• Introduction
• Section I – Core
• Section II – Ancient societies
• Section III – Personalities in their times
• Section IV – Historical periods

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 course in Ancient History. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2009 Higher School Certificate examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses.

This document should be read along with the relevant syllabus, the 2009 Higher School Certificate examination, the marking guidelines and other support documents which have been developed by the Board of Studies to assist in the teaching and learning of Ancient History.

Teachers and students are advised that, in December 2008, the Board of Studies approved changes to the examination specifications and assessment requirements for a number of courses. These changes will be implemented for the 2010 HSC cohort. Information on a course-by-course basis is available on the Board’s website.

General comments

Teachers and candidates should be aware that examiners may ask questions that address the syllabus outcomes in a manner that requires candidates to respond by integrating their knowledge, understanding and skills developed through studying the course. It is important to understand that the Preliminary course is assumed knowledge for the HSC course.

Candidates need to be aware that the mark allocated to the question and the answer space (where this is provided on the examination paper), are a guide to the length of the required response. A longer response will not in itself lead to higher marks. Writing far beyond the indicated space may reduce the time available for answering other questions.

Candidates need to be familiar with the Board’s Glossary of Key Words which contains some terms commonly used in examination questions. However, candidates should also be aware that not all questions will start with, or contain one of the key words from the glossary. Questions such as ‘how?’, ‘why?’ or ‘to what extent?’ may be asked or verbs which are not included in the glossary may be used, such as ‘design’, ‘translate’ or ‘list’.

This examination is divided into four sections: Section I – Cities of Vesuvius: Pompeii and Herculaneum, Section II – Ancient Societies, Section III – Personalities in Their Times, and Section IV – Historical Periods. Each section of the paper is worth 25%, so candidates should allocate around 45 minutes to each section.

Section I – Core

Teachers and candidates should note that there are new examination specifications for Section I in Ancient History in 2010. A specimen Section I is available on the Board’s website.

Cities of Vesuvius – Pompeii and Herculaneum

General comments

Candidates must be familiar with all aspects of the core, although the examination will only focus on parts of it. Question 3 will always be drawn from the area, ‘Investigating, reconstructing and preserving the past’. Answers should be a response to the specific question asked, not a prepared response to a question from a previous examination.

Candidates should tailor their responses to fit the space provided in the answer booklet. Concise, well-structured responses that address the question and are supported by relevant source material, are able to gain full marks.

It is important to analyse the question, plan the response and be clear about the direction and construction of the response.

Question 1

1. Most candidates had difficulty using appropriate terms to describe architectural features such as atrium, compluvium and impluvium. 
2. In contrast, most candidates used appropriate terms and concepts to describe features of baths at Pompeii and Herculaneum, such as palaestra, tepidarium and frigidarium, and mentioned segregated bathing spaces for men and women. 

Question 2

The best responses discussed fishing and fulling industries in detail with reference to the sources. Superior responses integrated additional material on other industries, such as bakeries, wine production, olive oil, perfume and prostitution. Many candidates could not identify the industry represented in Source 4, which was fulling, the processing of woollen cloth and the cleaning of woollen garments.

Question 3

Most candidates interpreted Source 5 to mean that tourism has had a negative influence on the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the positive ways archaeologists and site managers have responded to problems created by tourists.

Superior responses made a judgement about the effectiveness of management strategies introduced to make archaeology more accessible and meaningful for tourists and showed change over time from the 1800s to the present. They discussed the innovations of Fiorelli and Maiuri such as plaster casts and the reconstruction and recontextualising of artefacts. Many others mentioned more recent controversies involving the effects of tourism on the sites and new strategies being employed to alleviate problems, such as the use of replicas, conservation and revenue raising. Many only discussed site management in terms of human remains and the ethics of displaying human remains.

Students need to be aware that Question 3 does not require a response in formal essay structure. What is needed is a relevant and concise response to the question, written within the space provided.

Section II – Ancient societies

General comments

In 2009, the most popular Ancient Societies options were:

• Greece: Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra 371 BC 
• Greece: The Bronze Age – Society in Minoan Crete 
• Egypt: Society in New Kingdom Egypt during the Ramesside Period, Dynasties XIX and XX 

Candidates had to refer to Source 8 and other evidence to be awarded a mark above the middle range.    

Question 6 – Option C – Egypt: Society in New Kingdom Egypt during the Ramesside Period, Dynasties XIX and XX

1. Candidates had to provide accurate and detailed information about maat to gain 3 marks. 
2. Better responses dealt with the main features of a range of sculptures, from monumental royal statues and statues in temples and tombs to household gods and goddesses and shabtis. Weaker responses merely described the types of scenes shown on walls.
3. To gain full marks candidates had to discuss the roles of both royal and non-royal women, mentioning their legal rights. Many candidates gave excellent examples of royal women writing diplomatic letters and acting as regents. Some responses used the women of Deir el-Medina as an example of an exclusive group of women able to write and participate in their husbands’ occupations.
4. Better answers provided accurate and detailed information about the many facets of the Nile and linked these to the economy. Weaker answers were merely descriptive.  

Question 10 – Option G – Greece: The Bronze Age – society in Minoan Crete

1. Better candidates showed sound knowledge of what a peak sanctuary was, with reference to location and to the activities that might have taken place there. A list of 2 or 3 points was not sufficient for full marks. 
2. In the best responses candidates outlined a range of possible roles – religious, economic and political. Some candidates wrote descriptive responses about women depicted in frescoes without focusing on women’s roles that are central to this question. 
3. Responses that were awarded full marks provided detailed and accurate information about a range of Minoan building techniques. A significant number of candidates described different buildings without focusing on the techniques used in constructing these buildings. 
4. In the best responses candidates used both Source 10 and other sources effectively to answer the question. They clearly brought out the importance of the palace economy. Weaker responses were generally descriptive and made little reference to the importance of the economy.  

Question 12 – Option I – Greece: Spartan society to the Battle of Leuctra 371 BC

1. To gain full marks candidates needed to provide accurate and detailed information that demonstrated a clear understanding of the agoge. Listing three points was not sufficient. 
2. Candidates needed to provide an accurate and detailed outline of the main roles of the gerousia. The word ‘roles’ is central to this question. Weaker responses simply described what gerousia was, without referring to its roles. 
3. Accurate and detailed information about the main features of the Spartan economy was needed to gain full marks. Responses that focused on only ONE aspect, such as the periokoi or the helots or trade, did not gain a mark in the top range. 
4. Better responses provided accurate and detailed information about the role of the kings in the Spartan society.  

Section III – Personalities in their times

General comments

The most popular personalities were:

• Hatshepsut  
• Agrippina the Younger  
• Xerxes  
• Akhenaten  
• Julius Caesar. 

Candidates are reminded to respond to the question focus, but also keep in mind the rubric for this section and the mark value. Please note that the rubric for this section applies to both parts (a) and (b). This means that answers for both parts should refer to relevant sources.

Note also that the syllabus areas examined by part (b) can be taken from any section of the content outline for a personality, not only the ‘Evaluation’ section.

Most responses were of an appropriate length. However, some students wrote excessively long answers for part (a) and failed to find a balance between the 10-mark part (a) and the 15-mark part (b).

Rather than presenting a prepared answer, candidates need to interpret the question carefully to ensure they address the specific requirements of the question. Prepared answers are generally placed in the lower mark ranges.

Students need to integrate sources to support their responses. Simply naming sources is not enough. Superior responses to both (a) and (b) questions used the information from sources to develop an argument. Weaker responses referred to ‘some historians’ without being able to cite individual historians or their arguments, and mentioned non-specific sources such as ‘reliefs’ and ‘tombs’.

1. This section of the paper was generally well answered. However, teachers and students are reminded that a part (a) response should include the use of relevant sources to support the answer. Better responses incorporated a range of archaeological and/or written sources, both ancient and modern. It is essential for responses to have a clear focus on the key elements of the question, for example ‘the role of’, ‘how and why’, ‘the early career’ and to avoid unnecessary biographical information. 
2. The best responses were comprehensive and sustained and were well supported by accurate historical detail and relevant sources. A ‘sustained’ judgment or explanation is one that is integrated throughout the response and not just referred to in the introduction and conclusion.
   Weaker responses relied on presenting a narrative account with a limited attempt at providing either a judgment or explanation.

Question 14 – Option A – Egypt: Hatshepsut

1. Candidates generally displayed a sound understanding of Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, and supported their responses with information from archaeological and written sources. Superior responses related both the religious and political purposes of the temple to Hatshepsut’s relationship with Amun and the legitimacy of her right to rule.

   Weaker responses merely gave a description of the temple without relating it to the question.

2. Many candidates struggled with the concept of assessing Hatshepsut’s effect on her time. The best responses in this section provided a sustained judgment based on a balanced discussion of both her immediate and lasting effect on the New Kingdom. The best responses integrated sources into their arguments and often used scholarly opinion in support.

   Weaker responses listed some of Hatshepsut’s achievements without providing any judgment of her effect on Egypt. They lacked reference to sources or merely named historians without incorporating their ideas into the response.

Question 15 – Option B – Egypt: Akhenaten

1. The best responses addressed both the religious and political purposes of  Akhetaten and used ancient and modern sources to support their answers.
   Many responses struggled with the concept of ‘purposes’ and instead wrote about the religious and/or political policies of Akhenaten. Some responses ‘assessed’ the purposes and so did not address the question. Weaker responses did not use any sources.

2. The best responses explained a range of interpretations that were well supported with detailed information using ancient and modern sources.

   Many responses had difficulty explaining how interpretations changed ‘over time’ and did not use information from specific sources. Weaker responses also used prepared answers on Amarna art that did not address the question.

Question 18 – Option E – The Near East: Xerxes

1. Better responses provided very detailed information about both Xerxes’ family background and his early career. These responses were coherently presented and incorporated a range of both written and archaeological sources. Some candidates integrated historiography into their response.

   Weaker responses demonstrated limited knowledge of the early career, and only emphasised the family background. These responses generally lacked references to sources.

2. In better responses, candidates evaluated both the Persian invasion of Greece and Xerxes’ responses to revolts within the Empire. These responses made references to a variety of sources and integrated them throughout.

   Weaker responses demonstrated limited knowledge of Xerxes’ foreign policy and used few, if any, sources.

Question 24 – Option K – Rome: Julius Caesar

1. The best responses provided detailed and concise information about Julius Caesar’s role in the First Triumvirate, its formation and development.

   Many candidates, however, presented an outline of historical events in this period, neglecting Caesar’s role.

2. The best responses assessed a range of impacts Julius Caesar had on Rome supporting this with comprehensive and informed judgments. Historical sources were well integrated within a sustained and logical structure.

   Weaker responses provided a narrative outline of Caesar’s career with implied judgments. Some responses showed limited understanding of Caesar’s impact on Rome with little or no reference to sources.

Question 25 – Option L – Rome: Agrippina the Younger

1. The better responses provided detailed accounts of how and why Agrippina was killed. They made use of a wide range of ancient and modern sources regarding her death.

   Some candidates provided background material that was unnecessary in answering the question. Weaker responses lacked detail and made statements about the reasons for her death, but did not develop an argument. Their use of sources was less specific in nature. Some of the weaker responses only concentrated on the manner of Agrippina’s death.

2. The best responses described a number of ancient and modern interpretations and explained how the context of the historian affected their interpretation and therefore how the interpretations have changed.

   Weaker responses merely listed a number of ancient and/or modern interpretations without an appreciation of changing contexts.

Note: These comments are also relevant to the responses on Cleopatra VII because of the common nature of the questions.

Section IV – Historical periods

General comments

The most popular historical periods chosen by candidates were:

• Greece: The Greek World 500–440 BC 
• Egypt: New Kingdom Egypt to the death of Thutmose IV 
• Egypt: New Kingdom Egypt from Amenhotep III to the death of Ramesses II 
• Rome: The Julio–Claudians and the Roman Empire 
• Rome: The Augustan Age 
• Rome: The Fall of the Republic. 

A distinguishing feature of superior responses was the presentation of a sustained, logical and well-structured argument, which integrated ancient and modern sources. Candidates who take time to plan their answers have a better chance of producing a well-structured response focusing on relevant information than those who try to write as much as possible without a plan to guide them.

Teachers and candidates should note that questions may be drawn from any section of the historical period or they may cover the whole period. Questions may also be drawn from the topic’s Principal Focus, relevant outcomes and learn to statements.

Teachers are also encouraged to instruct candidates to choose questions only from options studied. Some candidates are disadvantaged by attempting to answer questions from one option using information relevant to another option.

A number of candidates answered both alternatives in the one historical period. Candidates should answer (a) OR (b) from the historical period they have studied.

Egypt

Question 26 – Option A – Egypt: From unification to the First Intermediate Period

1. Stronger responses identified Old Kingdom Egypt’s significant neighbours. They gave detailed, accurate information about the nature of the relationships supported by explicit reference to sources.

   Weaker responses gave descriptive narratives that displayed little understanding of the nature of the relationships and did not refer to any sources.

2. Stronger responses made judgements about the extent of change in religious beliefs in Old Kingdom Egypt within sustained, well-structured responses. They supported these with accurate and detailed information about afterlife beliefs and burial practices with reference to relevant architectural structures.

   Weaker responses tended to describe pyramids and mastabas with limited reference to change in associated religious beliefs.

Question 27 – Option B – Egypt: New Kingdom Egypt to the death of Thutmose IV

1. Better responses acknowledged the importance of Nubia in this period and made informed judgements about how and why it was important. They provided sustained, well-structured responses supported by accurate information from relevant sources.

   Weaker responses attempted to make judgments about the importance of Nubia, but did not provide detailed and accurate information relating to the entire period. Many weaker responses confused Nubians with the Hyksos, often providing prepared responses on the expulsion and/or the impact of the Hyksos on New Kingdom Egypt.

2. Superior responses identified the areas controlled by New Kingdom officials. They made informed judgements about the importance of a number of officials’ contributions to the government of Egypt and the ‘empire’.

   Weaker responses made some judgments but their responses were limited to a few areas of responsibility and/or specific officials. Some responses were restricted to the officials of Hatshepsut’s reign and did not cover the whole period.

Question 28 – Option C – Egypt: New Kingdom Egypt from Amenhotep III to the death of Ramesses II

1. Stronger responses identified and made judgements about the different roles played by pharaohs in the restoration of the Amun cult including the Ramesside period. They provided sustained, well-structured responses that gave accurate and detailed information from relevant sources.

   Weaker responses gave a pharaoh-by-pharaoh account of the restoration with little judgement, or restricted their responses to Tutankhamun and Horemheb. Others merely provided an account of the reforms of the Amarna period.

2. Stronger responses made judgements about the extent of change in Egypt’s relationships with foreign powers within sustained, well-structured responses. They supported these with accurate and detailed information about a range of foreign powers including kingdoms, vassal states and Nubia and the rulers of these powers.

   Weaker responses gave pharaoh-by-pharaoh accounts of diplomacy and battles, often confusing enemies, individuals and time periods, demonstrating little understanding of change.

Near East

Question 31 – Option F – The Near East: Persia from Cyrus II to the death of Darius III

1. Better responses identified the political, religious, economic and imperial significance of building programs. They made informed judgements about how and why they were significant, supported by detailed and accurate information from relevant primary and secondary sources.

   Weaker responses provided descriptive narratives, which listed the various works of each king or were restricted to one king and his palace.

2. The best responses recognised the need to address the historiographical requirements of the question. They analysed the quotation from Herodotus and evaluated its usefulness in terms of the contributions of Cyrus, Cambyses and Darius, supported by reference to relevant sources.

   Weaker responses either concentrated on the historiographical requirements of the question at the expense of a detailed assessment of the contributions of the kings, or ignored the quotation and provided a chronological account of their reigns.

Greece

Question 33 – Option H – Greece: The Greek world 500–440 BC

1. Better responses provided an informed judgement of Themistocles’ responsibility for the Greek victory in the Persian Wars, with a clear assessment of the extent of his role in light of other factors. These responses included a well-structured, sustained argument which covered the Persian War period and effectively integrated source material. 
2. Better responses clearly addressed the ‘To what extent …’ aspect within an informed judgement. They clearly defined the aims of the Delian League and showed how and why these aims were or were not fulfilled and, in some cases, altered. A wide variety of relevant sources was explicitly embedded within the argument. 

Rome

Question 38 – Option M – Rome: The fall of the Republic 78–31 BC

1. Better responses identified and explained the concept of political crises and analysed the Senate’s role in these crises. They included a number of examples ranging from first/second triumvirate or linked the Senate’s role in dealing with individuals such as Pompey, Caesar and Octavian to its contribution to the crises. 
2. Better responses linked the political ambitions of individuals such as Pompey, Caesar and Octavian to the role they played in bringing about the downfall of the Republic. In particular they showed an understanding of what was meant by ‘the downfall of the Republic’. They also responded to the ‘To what extent’ question stem, providing an appropriate judgement. 

Question 39 – Option N – Rome: The Augustan Age 44 BC – AD 14

1. There was a variety of approaches to this question. Better responses made an informed judgement, which took into account Augustus’ use of propaganda pre-Actium and in the period of the early settlements as well as the use of literature, building programs, statuary, numismatic evidence, titles, etc to maintain his Principate. 

Question 40 – Option O – Rome: The Julio–Claudians and the Roman Empire AD 14–69

1. Better responses identified ‘empire’ as constituting more than the physical boundaries. They successfully argued that the administration and infrastructure required to sustain the empire expanded during the reigns of the Julio-Claudians. 
2. Better responses identified two distinct phases of Nero’s reign and the impact each phase had on Rome. They successfully argued that the first phase was stable and had a largely beneficial impact on Rome while the second phase was characterised by the gradual demise of the institutions and infrastructure of Rome, leading to the year of the four emperors. 

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