Ancient History

The Ancient History curriculum enables students to study life in early civilisations based on the analysis and interpretation of physical and written remains. The ancient period, as defined in this curriculum, extends from the development of early human communities to the end of late antiquity AD 650, with a particular focus on the ancient societies of Europe, the Near East and Asia.

Rationale

Ancient History stimulates students’ curiosity and imagination and enriches their appreciation of humanity and the value of the ancient past. It shows how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant legacies that exist into the present. The study of ancient civilisations illustrates the development of some of the distinctive features of contemporary societies for example social organisation, systems of law, governance and religion. Ancient History is also concerned with the possible motivations, and actions of individuals and groups, and how they shaped the political, social and cultural landscapes of the ancient world.

The Ancient History curriculum begins with a study of the evidence for ancient sites, events, individuals and groups to develop skills in the analysis of different interpretations and representations. It includes a study of relevant issues related to the authentication, management and ethical treatment of sources of evidence for the ancient world. Students then investigate ancient societies with an in-depth study of specific features that further develops their historical skills. This is followed by a more integrated study of an ancient society focusing on continuity and change in power and authority and the role and impact of a significant individual on their time. The curriculum concludes with a detailed evaluation of the contribution of various sources to an understanding of a significant ancient historical period.

The Ancient History curriculum continues to develop the historical skills and understandings taught in the Foundation to Year 10 History curriculum. Students develop transferable skills associated with the process of historical inquiry. These include critical literacy skills for example interpreting, analysing and weighing evidence; the ability to synthesise evidence from a variety of sources; and developing reasoned and evidence-based arguments that challenge accepted theories. The Ancient History curriculum caters for the interests of students and teachers by providing choice as well as opportunity for breadth and depth of study across the four units.

Students are introduced to the complexities of reconstructing the past using often fragmentary evidence from a range of literary, documentary, architectural and archaeological sources, and the skills associated with the analysis and evaluation of historical sources. Students develop increasingly sophisticated historiographical skills and historical understanding, from their analysis of interpretations and representations of the ancient world to their close study of features and structures of ancient societies.

Framework and Achievement Standards

The Ancient History course is written under The HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FRAMEWORK 2019: BSSS HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Framework

Achievement Standards for HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES courses can be found within the Framework.

Humanities and Social Sciences is the study of how people process and document the human experience and their place in it. It empowers students to better understand humankind, society and culture and communicate ideas for the future.

Units

Investigating the Ancient World

This unit involves an investigation of how the ancient world has been represented. This involves an exploration of the remaining sources and how they have been interpreted. This unit focuses on issues relevant to the investigation of the ancient world and builds on the historical skills developed in the Foundation to Year 10 curriculum to develop an introduction to historiography. Students will study at least TWO issues related to evidence including the authentication, preservation, ownership and/or display of material from the ancient world. Students also study how evidence has been used in interpretations and representations of ONE ancient site, event or change, individual or group through to modern times.

This study provides an opportunity to explore key artefacts, events, legends, personalities and controversies of the ancient world, focusing on an analysis and evaluation of the differing ways in which they have been interpreted and represented from ancient to modern times. Students investigate the past through an examination of issues relevant to the nature of the evidence including the ethical practice, ownership and representation of the ancient world. The key conceptual understandings of this unit include: the reliability and usefulness of sources, custodianship of the past, interpretations and representations.

Ancient Societies

This unit involves an investigation of how people lived in the ancient world through an examination of the evidence of the social, political and economic institutions and structures of TWO societies. Students will also study ONE significant feature of society and how it relates to the institutions and structures studied. The significant feature may be the same for the two societies and teachers may choose to conduct a comparative study of this significant feature across the two societies.

Students are required to make connections between the social, economic and political elements of the society and the specific feature they study. In this unit there is a focus on analytical skills, which require identification and evaluation of a variety of ancient and modern sources for the society. The key conceptual understandings of this unit include: reliability and usefulness of sources, significance, perspectives and interpretations.

People, Power & Authority

This unit involves an investigation of ONE ancient society across a broad historical period, with a particular emphasis on the nature and exercise of power and authority in that society. Students also study ONE individual who had a significant impact on their times, either within the chosen society or another society. This unit requires a greater focus on a range of written source material and an evaluation of the significance of the selected individual.

Students examine the nature of power and authority in the society and the ways in which it was demonstrated through political, military, religious and economic features. This study requires a focus on the reasons for continuity and change. The detailed study of an individual who had a significant impact on their times develops students’ understanding of the importance of human agency, as demonstrated by the possible motivations and actions of individuals. Students develop their skills of historical analysis with an emphasis on the identification and evaluation of different perspectives and interpretations of the past and on an understanding of the issue of contestability in history. The key conceptual understandings of this unit include: causation, change and continuity, perspectives, interpretations and contestability.

Reconstruct the Ancient World

This unit involves an investigation of a significant historical period through an analysis of relevant archaeological and written sources. Students will examine how these sources have been used to construct an understanding of the relevant social, political, religious and economic institutions and practices, and key events and individuals of the historical period.

This unit allows for greater study of historiography and the challenges associated with the interpretation and evaluation of the evidence. Students will analyse the reliability and usefulness of a wide range of sources and the contribution of new research and scholarship to the reconstruction of the historical period. The unit enables students to develop their understanding of changing interpretations over time and appreciate the contestable nature of history and the value of the ancient past.

The key conceptual understandings of this unit include: usefulness and reliability of sources, perspectives, interpretations, contestability, reconstruction and conservation.