11–12Ancient History 11–12 Syllabus
The new Ancient History 11–12 Syllabus (2024) is to be implemented from 2027.
2025 and 2026
- Plan and prepare to teach the new syllabus
2027, Term 1
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 11
- Start implementing new Year 11 school-based assessment requirements
- Continue to teach the Ancient History Stage 6 Syllabus (2017) for Year 12
2027, Term 4
- Start teaching new syllabuses for Year 12
- Start implementing new Year 12 school-based assessment requirements
2028
- First HSC examination for new syllabus
Content
Year 11
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.
The natural features, resources and key sites of New Kingdom Egypt, such as Thebes and the Valley of the Kings
An overview of New Kingdom Egypt, the religious crisis and mystery of the pharaonic line at the time of Tutankhamun
The discovery and excavation of the tomb by Howard Carter
The structure and key features of Tutankhamun’s tomb
Tomb paintings, decoration, burial goods and artefacts found in the tomb
The evidence for funerary beliefs and practices
The nature of mummification
The condition of the human remains found in the tomb
The methods and results of scientific and forensic analysis
21st-century archaeology and ethical issues in the preservation and examination of Tutankhamun’s remains
Differing interpretations and representations of Tutankhamun