OCR GCSE Ancient History (J198): complete guide to Greece and Persia, Rome and its neighbours, the prescribed sources and the exam skills

OCR GCSE Ancient History (specification J198, from 2017) is the main GCSE in the ancient Greek and Roman world. It is a linear course assessed by two written papers at the end of the course, with no coursework. Unlike a modern history GCSE, it is built on the close study of prescribed ancient sources, both literary (Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, Polybius) and material (inscriptions, reliefs, archaeology). This page is the index: below is a map of the two components, the period and depth studies, the most-taught options, and the exam skills that run across the whole course. Always confirm which depth studies your school teaches, because the options differ between centres.

The two components

The qualification is split into two papers.

• Component 01: Greece and Persia. 2 hours, 105 marks (100 plus 5 SPaG), 50% of the GCSE. The compulsory period study (The Persian Empire 559 to 465 BC) plus one Greek depth study.
• Component 02: Rome and its neighbours. 2 hours, 105 marks (100 plus 5 SPaG), 50%. The compulsory longer period study (The Foundations of Rome 753 to 440 BC) plus one Roman depth study.

Across the qualification, three assessment objectives are tested: AO1 (knowledge), AO2 (explanation and analysis) and AO3 (analysis and evaluation of sources).

The studies and the options

Each component pairs a compulsory period study with a chosen depth study. The options covered in depth on this site are below.

Period study (Component 01): The Persian Empire 559 to 465 BC

The rise of Cyrus, Cambyses and the accession of Darius, the administration of the empire, and the wars with Greece from the Ionian Revolt to Xerxes' invasion, through Herodotus and the Persian royal monuments.

Greek depth study (Component 01): Athens in the Age of Pericles 462 to 429 BC

The reforms that created a radical democracy, how it worked and who was excluded, the Athenian empire, and the leadership of Pericles, through Thucydides, Aristotle and Plutarch. (The other options are From Tyranny to Democracy and Alexander the Great.)

Period study (Component 02): The Foundations of Rome 753 to 440 BC

The foundation legends and the seven kings, the fall of the monarchy and the birth of the Republic, and the Conflict of the Orders and the Twelve Tables, through Livy, Dionysius and archaeology.

Roman depth study (Component 02): Hannibal and the Second Punic War 218 to 201 BC. The causes of the war, Hannibal's invasion of Italy and his victories at Cannae, and Rome's recovery under Scipio to the victory at Zama, through Polybius and Livy. (The other options are Cleopatra: Rome and Egypt and Britannia.)

Exam skills. The assessment objectives, the source questions, the second-order concepts, the two essays, and revision and timing.

The skills that run across the course

Each option rewards content knowledge, but the marks come from applying it through a fixed set of question types.

1. Knowledge and explanation. Know the events, people and dates, and explain causes, change and significance (AO1 and AO2).
2. Source evaluation. Make supported inferences, compare sources, and judge how useful a source is for an enquiry, using content, provenance and context (AO3).
3. Working with prescribed sources. Know what each prescribed source is and what it is useful for, and weigh Greek against Persian, or literary against material, evidence.
4. Extended judgement. Build a balanced, well-supported "How far do you agree" argument with a clear conclusion (the period-study and depth-study essays).

Browse the option overviews for the content and the dot-point pages for each topic.

How to study OCR Ancient History

Ancient History rewards precise knowledge, source skill and disciplined exam technique together.

1. Learn each study as a story. A secure chronology lets you explain change over time and weigh causes.
2. Revise the sources as a topic. Know what each prescribed source is, who made it and what it is useful for; many marks turn on this.
3. Drill each question type. Recall, inference, comparison, "how useful", explanation and essay questions are marked very differently, so practise each against its mark scheme.
4. Always ask "useful for what?". Judge sources by their usefulness for the enquiry, not by labelling them reliable or biased.
5. Practise timing. With 105 marks in 2 hours per paper, plan the essays and protect time for the high-tariff questions.

The options, dot point by dot point

Each option has overview guides, dot-point answer pages and quizzes. Browse the full set at /gcse-ocr/ancient-history/syllabus.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification (J198), past papers and mark schemes at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because the question style and the depth-study options are board-specific, and confirm which depth studies your school teaches.