OCRGCSE34 resources

OCR GCSE Ancient History (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free OCR GCSE Ancient History (J198) past papers, mark schemes & examiner reports. Greece, Persia, Rome and its neighbours. 34 resources.

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

Download Past Papers

Type

Year

34 of 34 resources — page 1 of 2

June 2023

5 files

📋

Ancient History (9-1) – Modified papers

Modified Paper

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Greece and Persia

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Greece and Persia

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Rome and its neighbours

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Rome and its neighbours

Mark Scheme

Download

June 2022

8 files

📊

Ancient History (9-1) – Examiners’ report – The foundations of Rome

Examiner Report

Download

📋

Ancient History (9-1) – Modified papers

Modified Paper

Download

📊

Ancient History (9-1) – Examiners’ report – The Persian Empire

Examiner Report

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Greek depth study

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Greek depth study

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Roman depth study

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark Scheme – Roman depth study

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – The foundations of Rome

Question Paper

Download

November 2021

6 files

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Greek depth study

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Greek depth study

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Roman depth study

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Roman depth study

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – The foundations of Rome

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – The foundations of Rome

Mark Scheme

Download

November 2020

5 files

📋

Ancient History (9-1) – Modified papers

Modified Paper

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Greece and Persia

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Greece and Persia

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

Ancient History (9-1) – Question paper – Rome and its neighbours

Question Paper

Download

✅

Ancient History (9-1) – Mark scheme – Rome and its neighbours

Mark Scheme

Download

No date

1 file

📝

Ancient History (9-1) – Greece and Persia

Sample Assessment Materials

Download

OCR Ancient History (J198): Greece, Persia, Rome, and the Challenge of Ancient Source Analysis

OCR GCSE Ancient History (J198) is a specialist qualification that stands apart from mainstream history GCSEs by focusing entirely on the classical world. It is one of very few GCSE courses to study ancient civilisations in depth, making it both academically distinctive and excellent preparation for A-Level Classics or Ancient History. Candidates sit two equally weighted examination papers, both 90 minutes long, that together determine the entire grade. Paper 1 covers Greece and Persia — students study both a period study (such as the Persian Empire) and a depth study exploring a specific episode in Greek history. Paper 2 covers Rome and its neighbours, again combining a period study (such as The Foundations of Rome) with a depth study. What makes this GCSE unusual is the emphasis on primary ancient sources. Students work directly with translated texts by Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and other ancient writers, and are expected to evaluate these sources for bias, reliability, and purpose — skills more typically associated with A-Level History. Exam questions frequently present a source extract and ask 'How useful is this source as evidence for...?' or 'How far does this source support the view that...?' All marks come from the exams — no coursework or practical element contributes to the result. Grading runs from 9 to 1 on a single scale, with no foundation/higher split.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1

Greece and Persia

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 50 marks📊 50% of grade

Period study — e.g. The Persian EmpireDepth study — e.g. Greek depth studySource analysis and evaluation

Paper 2

Rome and its Neighbours

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 50 marks📊 50% of grade

Period study — e.g. The Foundations of RomeDepth study — e.g. Roman depth studySource analysis and evaluation

Key Information

Exam Board	OCR
Specification Code	J198
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	2 written exams (no coursework)
Tiers	None (single tier)
Number Of Papers	2
Exam Duration	1 hour 30 minutes per paper
Total Marks	100 (50 per paper)
Calculator Status	Not applicable
Total Resources	34

Key Topics in Ancient History (9-1)

Topics you need to know

The Persian Empire — expansion, governance and cultureGreek city-states — politics, warfare and societyThe foundations of Rome — monarchy, republic and expansionRoman society — politics, military and daily lifeAncient source analysis — bias, reliability and purposeComparison of ancient civilisations and their legacies

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Describe	Give an account of the main features, events or characteristics
Explain	Give developed reasons, supported by specific historical knowledge
How useful	Evaluate a source as evidence, considering content, origin and purpose
How far do you agree	Weigh evidence for and against a statement, reaching a substantiated judgement
Write an account	Narrate events analytically, explaining significance and connections
What can you learn	Draw inferences from a source, going beyond what is explicitly stated

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	75–85%
Grade 8	64–74%
Grade 7	54–63%
Grade 6	45–53%
Grade 5	36–44%
Grade 4	27–35%
Grade 3	19–26%
Grade 2	11–18%
Grade 1	~5–10%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across two papers (100 total marks). Actual boundaries vary by series — check OCR's website.

Herodotus, Livy, and Exam Technique: Revising OCR Ancient History with Ancient Sources

Your revision should combine narrative knowledge with source evaluation skills. For each topic, create a timeline of key events and a separate list of the ancient sources that describe them. Know which author wrote about which event, and — crucially — what their perspective or bias might have been. Herodotus writing about Persian customs has a different reliability from Thucydides writing about Athenian politics. For source-based questions, use the 'NAOP' framework: Nature (what type of source is it?), Author (who wrote it and why?), Origin (when and where?), Purpose (what was the author trying to achieve?). This gives your evaluation structure and ensures you address provenance rather than just describing what the source says. Extended response questions on this paper reward students who can construct an argument, not just list facts. Plan your answer with a clear thesis, three supporting points with evidence, and a conclusion that weighs the evidence. The best responses explicitly address counter-arguments — 'While it could be argued that... the evidence from [source] suggests...' With only 34 resources available, work through every past paper and mark scheme thoroughly. Pay particular attention to the examiner report comments, which reveal exactly what distinguishes a grade 6 response from a grade 9.

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Explore other GCSE subjects from OCR

Related Past Papers

Classical Civilisation (9-1)

OCRGCSE71 papers

Latin (9-1)

OCRGCSE66 papers

Classical Greek (9-1)

OCRGCSE72 papers

History A (Explaining the Modern World) (9-1)

OCRGCSE109 papers

AI-Powered Revision

Meet your AI Tutor

Get clear explanations, worked examples, and step-by-step guidance on any GCSE Ancient History (9-1) topic. Your personal AI tutor, free to try.

Try AI Tutor — Free Browse more past papers

✓ No credit card required✓ Covers all OCR topics✓ Instant answers

OCR GCSE Ancient History (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

No date

OCR Ancient History (J198): Greece, Persia, Rome, and the Challenge of Ancient Source Analysis

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in Ancient History (9-1)

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Herodotus, Livy, and Exam Technique: Revising OCR Ancient History with Ancient Sources

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Gateway Science Suite

Twenty First Century Science Suite

Mathematics (9-1)

History B (Schools History Project) (9-1)

History A (Explaining the Modern World) (9-1)

Religious Studies (9-1)

Classical Greek (9-1)

Classical Civilisation (9-1)

Latin (9-1)

English Language (9-1)

Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1)

Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1)

English Literature (9-1)

Citizenship Studies (9-1)

Physical Education (9-1)

Economics (9-1)

Business (9-1)

Psychology (9-1)

Design and Technology (9-1)

Music (9-1)

Drama (9-1)

Food Preparation and Nutrition (9-1)

Computer Science (9-1)

Media Studies (9-1)

Art and Design (9-1)

Geography B (9-1)

Related Past Papers

Meet your AI Tutor