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Certificate examination, which indicates the quality of the candidates' answers and highlights the relative strengths and weaknesses of the answers in each section. It is essential that this document be read in conjunction with the relevant syllabus, the 2004 Higher School Certificate Examination, Marking Guidelines and other supporting documents developed by the Board of Studies to aid in the teaching and learning of Ancient History.
Personalities in Their Times
Better responses provided a coherent explanation of cause and/or effect, while weaker responses relied. Better candidates demonstrated a clear understanding of the requirements of the question and were able to use their knowledge to consistently answer the question in its own terms, that is, make a judgment about the influence of the personality in their own lifetime. Some candidates continue to write prepared answers, which is evidenced by answers that discuss legacy rather than the given question, or a. historiographical analysis of the sources rather than concentrating on the question of influence.
Some candidates misinterpreted the question and discussed personality influence instead of personality influence. a) Many candidates have had difficulty providing an endpoint to Hatshepsut's rise to prominence and have offered a complete biography of her life. Better responses could explain conflicting theories about Hatshepsut's relationship with Thutmose III. and provided specific and relevant examples to support their interpretation. Weaker responses tended to provide a narrative and/or description of the battles, often without reference to Xerxes' role. c) Candidates generally struggled in this section because they did not explicitly make the link between achievement and influence.
The better answers were able to judge Xerxes' influence in relation to, for example, religion and the Greek world. The better answers explained the changing relationship between Agrippina and each of the individuals/groups referred to in the question, with greater emphasis on Seneca and Burrus.
Ancient Societies
The best answers were able to discuss the role of the Vizier and important offices such as chancellor, stewards and scribes. The best answers also looked at the role of religious cults and priesthoods in the imperial bureaucracy. The candidates were aware of the militaristic policies of the period and the importance of the role of the warrior Pharaoh.
Candidates should be aware of the requirements of key policy terms as defined in the board's glossary. This part of the question was generally well answered, as most candidates were able to name the two main Spartan holidays. This response was insufficient to meet the requirements of the question and therefore could not access the full range of ratings.
Better responses integrated the source, referenced other sources, and particularly explained the importance of the Spartan education system for men, women, and society in general. There were a number of excellent answers where candidates were able to explain the importance of the family in both the private and public sphere; in the observance of religious rituals and in the politics of the Augustan household.
Historical Periods
Detailed examples were presented, and the material comprehensively covered the entire period under consideration. Some of the answers were more concerned with the period of reaction rather than the time of the actual revolution. The importance aspect of the question was usually addressed only by the better answers.
Weaker responses also tended towards a mere description of the Amarna period without reference to its significance. Weaker responses presented stories of Darius I's reign without discussing the impact of his rule. These stories were generally limited to the story of the Persian Wars and the building program.
Weaker responses resorted to descriptive narratives of campaigns and battles without explaining the Persian defeat. Better answers to (a) were able to 'evaluate' and 'explain' and showed thorough knowledge of the whole period.
Additional Historical Period or Additional Ancient Society
Make clear the importance of the family in this period using a series of examples.
