1 A study of political centrism in Rome : Republican Rome
- Background: The rise of the Roman Republic
- Focus Question 1: Why did Tiberius go to the Citizen Assembly first for approval of his land reforms?
- Focus Question 2: What were the different sources of political power in the late Roman Republic?
- Focus Question 3: What circumstances led the three most powerful Roman politicians to agree to an amicitia (political friendship)?
- Focus question 4: Did Caesar want to be king of Rome?
- Skill: Writing a paragraph
2 Studies of everyday life during the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire: Lives of people in Ancient Rome
- Background: Family life in ancient Rome.
- Focus question 1: What role did the City of Rome play in political life during the late Republic?
- Focus question 3: What was meant by ‘bread and circuses?
- Focus question 4: What was the purpose of festivals and feasts?
- Focus question 5: Why did the Romans feel no guilt in keeping slaves?
- Skill: Referencing
3 Studies of personalities in history: Roman Emperors of the first century AD
- Background: The Julio-Claudian imperial household
- Focus Question 1: Why did the Senate accept Augustus claim that he was restoring the republic?
- Focus question 2: Why was Tiberius very unpopular?
- Focus question 3: What brought about the change in Caligulas personality?
- Focus question 4: Why was Claudius considered an enigma?
- Focus question 5: Why was Nero one of the worst Roman emperors of the Roman Empire?
- Skill: Writing an analytical essay in test conditions
4 Studies of archaeology, studies of technologies, innovations and inventions: Roman genius
- Focus question 1: What was the secret to the success of the Roman army?
- Focus question 2: What was the effect of Roman engineering?
- Focus question 3: Did “all roads lead to Rome”?
- Focus question 5: How were coins ancient advertising?
- Skill: Writing a feature article
5 Studies of religion: Study of beliefs in ancient Rome
- Background: Religions in the Roman Empire
- Focus question 1: Why did the Romans consider the Emperor divine?
- Focus question 2: How did Christianity begin?
- Focus question 3: Why were Christians persecuted?
- Focus question 4: Was the conversion of Constantine a turning point for Christianity?
- Background: A study of Europe in transition
- Focus Question 5: Christianity in the Middle Ages
- Skill: Preparing a multi-modal presentation
Dr Glenn Davies has 15 years experience teaching Ancient History in Queensland. He is the head of the Social Sciences department at Caboolture SHS and has lectured in history at Central Queensland University and political science at Illinois State University. Glenn is a member of the Queensland History Teachers' Association State Council and has presented at QHTA State Conferences and the HTAA National Conference. He has written a substantial number of academic journal history articles, book chapters and newspaper articles, as well as secondary history curriculum material for National History Projects, and four junior secondary history textbooks, two of which focus on Ancient Rome.
Research Skills sections in each chapter
Comprehensive material on evaluating primary resources
Argument sections for each chapter
Primary and secondary sources (both literary and artefact) made sensible by clear text
Chapters focused on particular topics
The sources featured are translations, rather than used adaptations and precis versions from secondary textbooks
Each chapter includes focus questions that cover syllabus inquiry topics
Each chapter covers a key skill of - writing a paragraph, referencing, writing an analytical essay in test conditions, writing a feature article and preparing a multi-modal presentation