2020 School Magazine

YEAR 11 ANCIENT HISTORY T he story of the ancients presents a challenge to unearth the unknown and fuels a desire to hone a historical consciousness. Over the past year we have explored the Homeric World, challenging the historicity of the myths retold by Homer by analysing surviving evidence from ancient sites and evaluating modern interpretations of the archaeological record. Term 2 provided us with the freedom to research according to our individual interests, allowing us to form an understanding of the beliefs, religions, and funerary practices of ancient societies. More recently, we investigated the reign of Hatshepsut. Thinking both creatively and critically, we assessed whether the female pharaoh continued the historical traditions of her predecessors, or broke with the past to make her reign her own. It was refreshing to see the range of views held by students in the class when forming a conclusion on this issue. While staring at Hatshepsut’s Deir el-Bahari, it was humbling to understand our present as only a microcosm of the human experience, and to perceive that we are no more significant than those who had come before us. Victoria Chen (11O) and India Edwards (11G)

YEAR 12 ANCIENT HISTORY E veryone has heard of Cleopatra, but the fascinating facts surrounding her death are less well known. Cleopatra’s story is just the beginning of what we learned this year in Ancient History. We investigated the complexities of Ancient Rome: the birth of the glorious Roman Empire; and the driving forces behind such a feat, including Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, and especially Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. We learned about Augustus’ self-presentation, investigating a range of sources—from works composed by contemporary poets and historians through to accounts written centuries after his death. We wrote a research paper on a topic of our choice regarding the fall of the Roman Republic. Ancient History has given me the opportunity to explore the mysteries of human behaviour and the concept of power. This valuable subject has taught me how the world has changed, and how events of the past have affected modern history. I feel strongly that I now have an in-depth knowledge of Ancient History and would sincerely recommend it as a subject. Catherine Lee (12W)

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