"Not to know what happened before one was born is always to be a child."
Cicero – 1st Century BC.
Ancient History is concerned with studying people, societies and civilisations of the past, from the development of the earliest human communities to the end of the Middle Ages. Students explore the interaction of societies and the impact of individuals and groups on ancient events and ways of life, enriching their appreciation of humanity and the relevance of the ancient past. Ancient History illustrates the development of some of the distinctive features of modern society which shape our identity, such as social organisation, systems of law, governance and religion. Ancient History highlights how the world has changed, as well as the significant legacies that exist into the present.
21st Century Skills in Ancient History
A course of study in Ancient History promotes open-mindedness, critical awareness and intellectual flexibility - skills that prepare students for local and global citizenship and for lifelong learning across a wide range of contexts. Young people are preparing for a very different world and the study of Ancient History is underpinned by 21st Century Skills.
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Course Content
The Ancient History course is divided into four units of study, which are further divided into topics:
Investigating the Ancient World
- Digging up the Past
- Ancient Societies: Beliefs, Rituals and Funerary Practices
Personalities in their times
Reconstructing the Ancient World
- Fifth Century B.C. Athens
- Pompeii and Herculaneum
People, Power and Authority
- Greece: The Persian Wars
- Augustus
Excursions
- Whenever relevant special events come to the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Ancient History students are invited to attend excursions.
- Both Year 11 and 12 students have the opportunity to attend excursions to the University of Queensland Library or the Sunshine Coast University Library to assist with their research
Careers
- Archaeologist
- Teacher
- Librarian
- Lawyer
- Museum Technician
- Historian