Key term
OCR A-Level Ancient History H407
Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492–404 BC
Topic overviewMardonius' expedition and the Persian demand for submission, 492–491 BCThe Battle of Marathon, 490 BCPersian aims and the preparations of both sides in the 480s BCThe Hellenic League and the divided response of the Greek statesThermopylae, Artemisium and the debate before SalamisPlataea, Mycale and the Greek alliance of 479 BCExplaining the Greek victory over PersiaThe consequences of victory and the founding of the Delian League, 479–477 BCThe growth of Athenian power in the Delian LeagueThe earthquake, the helot revolt and the break with Sparta, 465–461 BCThe First Peloponnesian War, 461–446 BCThe Egyptian expedition and the end of the Persian war, 460–449 BCThe Thirty Years' Peace and the revolt of Samos, 446–439 BCCorcyra, Potidaea and the outbreak of war in 431 BCThe causes of the Peloponnesian WarStrategy, the invasions of Attica and the plague at AthensPylos, Sphacteria and Brasidas in ThraceDivisions over peace and the Peace of Nicias, 422–421 BCThe alliance with Argos and the Battle of Mantinea, 418 BCThe Sicilian Expedition and the occupation of Decelea, 415–413 BCPersia and the defeat of Athens, 412–404 BCExplaining Athenian defeat in the Peloponnesian War
The Society and Politics of Sparta, 478–404 BC
Topic overviewThe agoge and the upbringing of Spartan boys and menThe education of Spartan girlsThe values the agoge was intended to instilSpartiates, perioikoi and helotsHelot revolts, the krypteia and the fear of the helotsThe status and role of Spartan womenThe Spartan kings and the gerousiaThe ephors and the Spartan assemblyGreat debates and influential individuals in Spartan politicsThe organisation of the Spartan army and who fought in itSpartan successes and failures on land, 465–418 BCThe Spartan navy and the commanders of the later warCorinthian and Athenian views of SpartaThe Peloponnesian League and the limits of Spartan actionOliganthropia, the decline of values and the Spartan mirage
The Culture and Politics of Athens, c.460–c.399 BC
Topic overviewDemocracy and oligarchy, and the critics of the Athenian systemThe ecclesia, the boule and the officials of the democracyOstracism and the popular lawcourtsAthens as leader of an empire and her treatment of the alliesLeadership in fifth-century Athens: Pericles, Cleon, Nicias and AlcibiadesCitizens, metics, slaves and women in Athenian societyThe Sophists and the teaching of rhetoricThe Sophists' view of Athenian society and its valuesSocrates: his method, his critique of democracy and his trialThe Persian Wars, Delian League funds and the origins of the building programmeThe buildings of the Acropolis and the AgoraAcropolis sculpture and the sanctuaries of AtticaThe City Dionysia, the Lenaea and the organisation of dramatic festivalsTragedy and comedy as genresAristophanes, Old Comedy and contemporary AthensAthenian attitudes to religion and the changing relationship with the godsThe festivals of the Athenian religious yearThe Panathenaea, Athena and Poseidon on the Acropolis
The Rise of Macedon, c.359–323 BC
Topic overviewPhilip's accession and the securing of Macedon, 359–357 BCThe reform of the Macedonian army and its siege technologyPhilip's court, his patronage and his marriagesThe expansion of Macedon and the organisation of the new territoriesThessaly, the Third Sacred War and Philip's place in Greek institutionsThe Peace of Philocrates and the prospect of a common peaceThrace, Perinthus and ByzantiumChaeronea, the League of Corinth and the hegemonyAlexander's accession and the reassertion of control over GreeceThe crossing to Asia: Troy, the Granicus and HalicarnassusGordium, Issus and the conquest of the Levant and EgyptGaugamela and the occupations of Babylon and PersepolisThe pursuit of Darius, the fall of Bessus and the war in Bactria and SogdianaConspiracy and opposition: Philotas, Cleitus and CallisthenesAlexander's foundation cities and their roleThe Indus valley campaign and the rulers of the PunjabThe mutiny at the Hyphasis, the Mallians and the crossing of the Gedrosian DesertThe return from the east: the purges, the marriages at Susa and the mutiny at OpisThe Exiles' Decree, the death of Hephaestion and the last months at BabylonThe aims of Philip and Alexander: continuity and changePhilip's character: diplomacy, warfare and the treatment of the defeatedAlexander's character, the gods and his own divinityPhilip, Alexander and the Greek statesAlexander, his army and his CompanionsAlexander and the Persians: Darius' family, the satraps and the EpigonoiThe ancient sources for Philip and Alexander and their reliability
The Julio-Claudian Emperors, 31 BC–AD 68
Topic overviewActium and the presentation of Augustus' victoryThe constitutional settlements of 27 BC and 23 BCThe Res Gestae and the debate over the restored RepublicAugustus' military achievements and the frontiers of the empireThe administration of Rome and the provinces under AugustusReligion, moral revival and the Imperial Cult under AugustusThe image of Augustus in poetry, coinage and the building programmeThe imperial family, conspiracies and the successionTiberius and the views of the classical authorsTiberius, Germanicus and SejanusMutinies, revolts and the treason trials under TiberiusTiberius, religion and the government of RomeThe presentation of Gaius' character by the ancient sourcesGaius, religion and the Imperial CultGaius' rule in Rome and the assassination of AD 41The accession of Claudius in AD 41The invasion of Britain in AD 43Claudius' wives, freedmen and the government of RomeNero, Britannicus and the death of ClaudiusThe presentation of Nero's character by the ancient sourcesNero's early reign and the changing role of AgrippinaNero's wives and the imperial householdThe Great Fire of AD 64 and the Pisonian conspiracyNero, religion and the government of RomeCorbulo, the revolt of Vindex and the fall of Nero
The Breakdown of the Late Republic, 88–31 BC
Topic overviewThe Senate, its membership and the force of senatus consultaThe popular assemblies and the making of lawThe magistracies, the cursus honorum and the electoral processThe tribunes of the plebs and their power in the stateThe courts, the quaestiones perpetuae and the politics of prosecutionThe Gracchi, Marius and the origins of the crisis of 88 BCSulla's dictatorship and the Sullan reformsThe undoing of Sulla's settlement in the 70s BCSpartacus, Crassus and the consulship of 70 BCThe Catilinarian Conspiracy of 63 BCThe First Triumvirate and Caesar's consulship of 59 BCPolitical breakdown and disorder in the 50s BCThe causes of the Civil War of 49 BCCaesar's dictatorship and social changeThe assassination of Caesar and the Ides of MarchAntony against the Senate and the Second TriumvirateOctavian's victories in Italy, at Actium and in EgyptPatronage, clientela and the politics of factionOratory, political marriage and scandal in public lifeLand bills, largesse and the buying of popular supportBribery, corruption, intimidation and violence in Roman politicsMilitary commands, veteran loyalty and the threat of forceThe senatorial and equestrian orders and the publicaniThe rural poor, migration to Rome and the changing urban plebsThe roles of Sulla, Lepidus, Crassus and PompeyThe roles of Cicero, Cato, Catiline and ClodiusThe roles of Caesar, Brutus and Cassius, Antony and OctavianThe ancient sources for the Late Republic and their reliability
The Flavians, AD 68–96
Topic overviewThe fall of Nero and the failure of GalbaOtho, Vitellius and the civil wars of AD 69Vespasian's bid for power and the men who backed himLegitimising the accession: army, Senate, people and the godsVespasian's settlement on his accession and the powers of the princepsThe treasury, taxation and the recovery of the stateThe Flavian family, its supporters and the dynastic successionDomitian and the transformation of the princeps' powerVespasian's reign, his character and his dealings with the SenateThe principate of Titus, AD 79–81Domitian in Rome: government, opposition and the terrorThe Flavians and the empire: Britain, Germany, the Danube and the EastPropaganda and the legitimation of the dynastyThe Flavian building programme in RomeTriumphs, games and festivals as imperial spectacleLiterature, art and the image of the princepsTraditional Roman religion and the emperors' place in itForeign cults and the alternatives to traditional religionThe imperial cult and the deification of the Flavians
Ruling Roman Britain, AD 43–c.128
Topic overviewBritain and Rome before the invasion of AD 43Claudius' reasons for the conquest of BritainThe invasion of AD 43 and the conquest of southern BritainRoman military policy under the governors from Ostorius to FrontinusAgricola's campaigns in Britain, AD 77–83Frontier policy after Agricola and Domitian's retrenchmentTrajan's retrenchment and the Stanegate frontierHadrian's decision to build the WallThe features and functions of Hadrian's WallThe reasons for British resistance and the forms it tookCaratacus and the war against Plautius and OstoriusThe Boudiccan Revolt: causes, course and consequencesVenutius, Cartimandua and unrest in BrigantiaCalgacus and the Roman image of the British leaderThe governor and the procurator in the Roman provinceBritish collaboration with Roman ruleClient rulers: Prasutagus, Cartimandua and CogidubnusThe deployment and role of the Roman army in BritainEconomic exploitation and changes in agricultureRoads, trade and the army's impact on the British economyUrbanisation and the different types of Roman townTown life: public buildings, leisure and economic growthRomanisation, the Romanised elite and Fishbourne Palace
The Flavians, AD 68–96
Vespasian's reign, his character and his dealings with the Senate
- 2 things to know
- Component Group 2
Overview
Recall questions on the main features of Vespasian's reign and his plain personal style, the engineer and the columns, his tolerance of ridicule, Helvidius Priscus and Stoic opposition, the expulsion of philosophers and Demetrius, the plot of Caecina and Eprius Marcellus, the censorship of AD 73 to 74, equestrians and informers, his death and last words, and Tacitus' verdict.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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Key term
What is the story of the engineer and the columns, and what does it show?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Summarise the main features of Vespasian's ten years in power.
Model answer
He restored peace and the public finances, revived the censorship, secured the frontiers, rebuilt Rome and established an openly hereditary succession.
- 2
How do the sources describe Vespasian's personal style?
Model answer
As plain-living, hard-working and blunt, with a rough Sabine humour, tolerant of criticism and mockery, and without the ceremony and luxury of his predecessors.
- 3
What is the story of the engineer and the columns, and what does it show?
Model answer
An inventor offered a machine for hauling heavy columns to the Capitol cheaply; Vespasian paid him but refused to use it, saying he must be allowed to feed his poor commons, which shows the emperor's concern to keep the city crowd in work and in favour.
- 4
Give an example of Vespasian's tolerance of ridicule.
Model answer
When Mestrius Florus corrected his rustic pronunciation of a word, the emperor greeted him next day with a mocking version of his own name, and he punished no one for lampoons against him.
- 5
Who was Helvidius Priscus, and why did he clash with Vespasian?
Model answer
A Stoic senator and son-in-law of Thrasea Paetus who, as praetor, treated Vespasian as an ordinary citizen and refused to acknowledge him in his edicts; he was exiled and eventually put to death.
- 6
Why did Stoic opposition matter more than a conspiracy would have?
Model answer
It was principled public criticism of hereditary autocracy by respected senators, so it could not be dismissed as treason, and suppressing it exposed the limits of Vespasian's tolerance.
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