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11–12Ancient History 11–12 Syllabus

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Implementation from 2027
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Content

Year 11

Investigating ancient history – Case studies

Students study TWO case studies, choosing ONE from List A and ONE from List B. The studies may incorporate methods and issues involved in investigating the ancient past, as relevant.

Teachers may develop their own case studies. These may be designed to provide a context for options selected in the Year 12 course. However, case studies must not overlap with or duplicate significantly any option to be attempted in the Year 12 Ancient History or History Extension courses. Teacher-developed case studies must follow the geographical division indicated in Lists A and B.

List A: Case studies from Egypt, Greece, Rome and Celtic Europe

  • List A: Old Kingdom Egypt
  • List A: Tutankhamun’s tomb
  • List A: Deir el-Medina
  • List A: Alexandria
  • List A: Thera
  • List A: Troy
  • List A: The Roman games
  • List A: The Celts
  • List A: Boudicca

List B: Case studies from Australia, Asia, the Near East and the Americas

  • List B: Ancient Australia
  • List B: The Shang dynasty
  • List B: Ashoka
  • List B: Nineveh
  • List B: Persepolis
  • List B: Civilisations of the river – Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley
  • List B: Masada
  • List B: Palmyra and the Silk Road
  • List B: Teotihuacan

Other possible case studies related to List A could include:

  • the Valley of the Queens
  • Mycenae
  • Greek drama
  • the Etruscans
  • the impact of expansion on Rome
  • Tiberius Gracchus
  • the city of Rome
  • Roman Britain.

Other possible case studies related to List B could include:

  • Jericho
  • Lachish
  • the Akkadian Empire
  • Carthage
  • Hannibal and the Punic Wars
  • the Battle of Red Cliffs
  • the Moche
  • the early Maya.

Teacher-developed case studies must include the aspects of study identified in the following framework:

  • the geographical and historical context
  • the range and issues of sources
  • the historical features, people, places, events and developments of the ancient world selected for study
  • differing interpretations and representations.
List B: Nineveh
The geographical and historical context
  • An overview of the early Assyrian Empire from Tiglath-Pileser I to Sennacherib and the early capital cities of Nimrud and Khorsabad

  • Location of the site of Nineveh

The range and issues of sources
  • The discovery of Nineveh and the nature of archaeological excavation over time

  • Archaeological sources, such as the palaces of Ashurnasirpal II, Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal; the temples of Nabu and Ishtar; the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal; gardens; wall reliefs

The history of Nineveh
  • The layout and features of the city of Nineveh

  • Design and ornamentation of the Neo-Assyrian period

  • The role of Nineveh as a centre of Assyrian power

  • The nature of contact with other peoples

  • Debate over the destruction of Nineveh

  • Differing interpretations and representations of Nineveh

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