2025 OCR A Level Classical Civilisation H408/34 Democracy and the Athenians
Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Tuesday 3 June 2025 – Morning
A Level Classical Civilisation
H408/34 Democracy and the Athenians
Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer all the questions in Section A and one question in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 75.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [603/0726/2] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (JP) 344656/1 Turn over
*1882774430*
, 2
Section A
Start your answer to each 10, 20 and 30 mark question on a new page.
Source A
Old Oligarch, 2.17–20
Furthermore, oligarchic cities need abide by their oaths and alliances. If they ignore
agreements, or if some injustice is done, then there are the names of the handful of
people who made the agreement in the first place. But the agreements made by the
common people can be thrown out by laying the blame on whoever spoke or took
the vote, whilst everyone else claims they were absent or didn’t approve of what 5
was agreed in the full Assembly. If it seems like a good idea for their decisions to be
ineffective, they make up all sorts of excuses for not doing what they don’t want to do. If
the common people’s policy produces bad results, they blame a small number of people
working against them and destroying them while if the policy produces good results,
they take all the credit for themselves. 10
They do not allow the common people to be ridiculed in comedy, so they won’t be heard
of badly. If anyone wants to ridicule a private individual, however, they ask the poet
to write it in because they know that the person who gets ridiculed in comedy doesn’t
generally come from the common people, but is someone who is rich, noble, or well-
known. A handful of poor, plebeian types are mocked in comedy, yes, but only if they’ve 15
been meddling where they shouldn’t and trying to rise above their station. This is so the
common people don’t feel put out by seeing people like them mocked.
I believe that the common people in Athens recognise which citizens are good and
which are bad, but despite knowing this they tend to like those who are the easiest and
most useful for them to like, even if they’re bad, and they are also inclined to hate the 20
good. You see, they think that the good are naturally virtuous to the detriment of the
people, rather than for their benefit. Of course, on the other hand, some people are not
naturally sympathetic to the common people, yet are truly on their side. I excuse the
common people for their democracy – one must forgive the everyday man for looking
after his own interests. But a man who isn’t one of the common people, yet still prefers 25
to live in a democracy rather than an oligarchy, must be preparing to do wrong and has
realised that it’s easier for evil to go unnoticed in a democracy than in an oligarchy.
1 ‘......oligarchic cities’ (line 1). What does the term ‘oligarchic’ mean? [1]
2 ‘The full Assembly’ (line 6). During the period in which the Old Oligarch was writing, where in
Athens did meetings of the Assembly take place? [1]
3 The author has been nicknamed the ‘Old Oligarch’. Explain how this passage shows that this
nickname is justified. [10]
© OCR 2025 H408/34 Jun25
Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Tuesday 3 June 2025 – Morning
A Level Classical Civilisation
H408/34 Democracy and the Athenians
Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer all the questions in Section A and one question in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 75.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [603/0726/2] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (JP) 344656/1 Turn over
*1882774430*
, 2
Section A
Start your answer to each 10, 20 and 30 mark question on a new page.
Source A
Old Oligarch, 2.17–20
Furthermore, oligarchic cities need abide by their oaths and alliances. If they ignore
agreements, or if some injustice is done, then there are the names of the handful of
people who made the agreement in the first place. But the agreements made by the
common people can be thrown out by laying the blame on whoever spoke or took
the vote, whilst everyone else claims they were absent or didn’t approve of what 5
was agreed in the full Assembly. If it seems like a good idea for their decisions to be
ineffective, they make up all sorts of excuses for not doing what they don’t want to do. If
the common people’s policy produces bad results, they blame a small number of people
working against them and destroying them while if the policy produces good results,
they take all the credit for themselves. 10
They do not allow the common people to be ridiculed in comedy, so they won’t be heard
of badly. If anyone wants to ridicule a private individual, however, they ask the poet
to write it in because they know that the person who gets ridiculed in comedy doesn’t
generally come from the common people, but is someone who is rich, noble, or well-
known. A handful of poor, plebeian types are mocked in comedy, yes, but only if they’ve 15
been meddling where they shouldn’t and trying to rise above their station. This is so the
common people don’t feel put out by seeing people like them mocked.
I believe that the common people in Athens recognise which citizens are good and
which are bad, but despite knowing this they tend to like those who are the easiest and
most useful for them to like, even if they’re bad, and they are also inclined to hate the 20
good. You see, they think that the good are naturally virtuous to the detriment of the
people, rather than for their benefit. Of course, on the other hand, some people are not
naturally sympathetic to the common people, yet are truly on their side. I excuse the
common people for their democracy – one must forgive the everyday man for looking
after his own interests. But a man who isn’t one of the common people, yet still prefers 25
to live in a democracy rather than an oligarchy, must be preparing to do wrong and has
realised that it’s easier for evil to go unnoticed in a democracy than in an oligarchy.
1 ‘......oligarchic cities’ (line 1). What does the term ‘oligarchic’ mean? [1]
2 ‘The full Assembly’ (line 6). During the period in which the Old Oligarch was writing, where in
Athens did meetings of the Assembly take place? [1]
3 The author has been nicknamed the ‘Old Oligarch’. Explain how this passage shows that this
nickname is justified. [10]
© OCR 2025 H408/34 Jun25
