Thursday 15 May 2025 – Afternoon
GCSE (9–1) Ancient History
J198/01 Greece and Persia
Time allowed: 2 hours
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 all the questions in either Section B or
Section C or Section D.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 105.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) and the use of specialist terminology will be
assessed in questions marked with a pencil ( ).
• This document has 8 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR GCSE Ancient History J198/01 Greece and Persia
QP and MS summer 2025
, 2
Section A
The Persian Empire, 559–465 BC
1
(a) Name the king of Lydia who was defeated by Cyrus. [1]
(b) State the name of the most important Persian god. [1]
(c) Identify two consequences of the Ionian Revolt. [2]
2 Outline the main changes that Darius introduced to the way that the Persian Empire was run. [6]
Passage A
A PERSIAN MESSENGER gives an account of the battle of Salamis:
At once a ship hit another ship with its brass battering ram.
A Greek ship charged first, and chopped off the whole end
Of a Phoenician galley. Then charge followed charge
On every side. At first by its huge size
Our (Persian) fleet withstood them. But soon, in that narrow space,
Our (Persian) ships were jammed in hundreds; none could help another.
They rammed each other with their prows of bronze; and some
Were stripped of every oar. Meanwhile the enemy
Came round us in a ring and charged. Our (Persian) vessels toppled
Over; the sea was hidden, carpeted with wrecks
And dead men; all the shores and reefs were full of dead.
Then every ship we had broke rank and rowed for its life.
Aeschylus ‘The Persians’ l. 405–416
3 Using details from Passage A and your own knowledge, what can we learn about the tactics of
the Greeks that helped them to win the battle of Salamis? [10]
4 Using details from Passage A and your own knowledge, explain why Xerxes was unable to
defeat the Greeks. [15]
5 ‘The only aim of Persian kings was to live up to Cyrus’ example.’
To what extent do you agree with this view? [20]
Spelling, punctuation and grammar and the use of specialist terminology [5]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25
, 3
Section B
From Tyranny to Democracy, 546–483 BC
6
(a) Name the tyrant of Athens from 546–527 BC. [1]
(b) Name the two Spartan kings who were involved in attacking Athens in 506 BC. [2]
(c) Identify two ways that archons were chosen after 508/7 BC. [2]
Passage B
‘Cleisthenes first divided all the people into ten tribes in place of the earlier four; he wanted to mix
them up so that more would share in political power… Then he set up the council as 500 instead
of 400, 50 from each tribe – at that time there were 100 from each of four tribes… He divided the
country by demes into thirty parts, ten of those in and around the city, ten on the coast and ten inland,
and these were called trittyes. He allocated three of these to each tribe so that each had a share
in each region… He allowed the clans, brotherhoods and priesthoods each to keep their existing
traditions… When these had been done the constitution was far more democratic than that of Solon.’
Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution, 21–2
7 What can we learn from Passage B about the ideas behind the new Athenian democracy? [5]
8 Using details from Passage B, how accurate do you think Aristotle’s account of the new
democracy is? [5]
9 Explain the significance of the rivalry of Themistocles and Aristides to the development of Athens
in the 480s. [10]
10* ‘The overthrow of tyranny in Athens happened for exactly the same reasons as the assassination
of Polycrates in Samos.’
To what extent do you agree with this view?
You must use and analyse the ancient sources you have studied as well as supporting your
answer with your own knowledge. [20]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25 Turn over
, 4
Section C
Athens in the Age of Pericles, 462–429 BC
11
(a) Name the political and military leader who was repeatedly elected General of Athens between
443 and 429 BC. [1]
(b) Identify two reasons for the rising tensions between Athens and Sparta after the Persian Wars. [2]
(c) State two criticisms of Pericles’ building programme. [2]
Passage C
‘So this may be a suitable place to consider what great skill or power this woman [Aspasia] had for
her to charm one of the leading men of the state, and cause philosophers to discuss her for a long
time in serious debates… People say that she was copying an Ionian woman from ancient times
called Thargelia by only having relationships with the most powerful men… So, some say that
Pericles favoured Aspasia highly because of her rare political wisdom. Socrates sometimes went to
see her with his followers, and his close friends brought their wives to her to hear her conversation,
even though she ran a business that was not at all honest or even respectable, since she kept a
house of young hetairai… Afterwards, their married life was not happy, so Pericles legally handed
her over to another man (she agreed to this), and he went to live with Aspasia and loved her very
much.’
Plutarch, Life of Pericles 24
12 What can we learn from Passage C about Aspasia? [5]
13 Using details from Passage C, how accurate do you think Plutarch’s account of Aspasia is? [5]
14 Explain the significance of Athena and Poseidon for Athenians. [10]
15* ‘Supporting the institutions of Athenian democracy was the most important role of an Athenian
citizen’.
To what extent do you agree with this view?
You must use and analyse the ancient sources you have studied as well as supporting your
answer with your own knowledge. [20]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25
GCSE (9–1) Ancient History
J198/01 Greece and Persia
Time allowed: 2 hours
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 all the questions in either Section B or
Section C or Section D.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 105.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) and the use of specialist terminology will be
assessed in questions marked with a pencil ( ).
• This document has 8 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR GCSE Ancient History J198/01 Greece and Persia
QP and MS summer 2025
, 2
Section A
The Persian Empire, 559–465 BC
1
(a) Name the king of Lydia who was defeated by Cyrus. [1]
(b) State the name of the most important Persian god. [1]
(c) Identify two consequences of the Ionian Revolt. [2]
2 Outline the main changes that Darius introduced to the way that the Persian Empire was run. [6]
Passage A
A PERSIAN MESSENGER gives an account of the battle of Salamis:
At once a ship hit another ship with its brass battering ram.
A Greek ship charged first, and chopped off the whole end
Of a Phoenician galley. Then charge followed charge
On every side. At first by its huge size
Our (Persian) fleet withstood them. But soon, in that narrow space,
Our (Persian) ships were jammed in hundreds; none could help another.
They rammed each other with their prows of bronze; and some
Were stripped of every oar. Meanwhile the enemy
Came round us in a ring and charged. Our (Persian) vessels toppled
Over; the sea was hidden, carpeted with wrecks
And dead men; all the shores and reefs were full of dead.
Then every ship we had broke rank and rowed for its life.
Aeschylus ‘The Persians’ l. 405–416
3 Using details from Passage A and your own knowledge, what can we learn about the tactics of
the Greeks that helped them to win the battle of Salamis? [10]
4 Using details from Passage A and your own knowledge, explain why Xerxes was unable to
defeat the Greeks. [15]
5 ‘The only aim of Persian kings was to live up to Cyrus’ example.’
To what extent do you agree with this view? [20]
Spelling, punctuation and grammar and the use of specialist terminology [5]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25
, 3
Section B
From Tyranny to Democracy, 546–483 BC
6
(a) Name the tyrant of Athens from 546–527 BC. [1]
(b) Name the two Spartan kings who were involved in attacking Athens in 506 BC. [2]
(c) Identify two ways that archons were chosen after 508/7 BC. [2]
Passage B
‘Cleisthenes first divided all the people into ten tribes in place of the earlier four; he wanted to mix
them up so that more would share in political power… Then he set up the council as 500 instead
of 400, 50 from each tribe – at that time there were 100 from each of four tribes… He divided the
country by demes into thirty parts, ten of those in and around the city, ten on the coast and ten inland,
and these were called trittyes. He allocated three of these to each tribe so that each had a share
in each region… He allowed the clans, brotherhoods and priesthoods each to keep their existing
traditions… When these had been done the constitution was far more democratic than that of Solon.’
Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution, 21–2
7 What can we learn from Passage B about the ideas behind the new Athenian democracy? [5]
8 Using details from Passage B, how accurate do you think Aristotle’s account of the new
democracy is? [5]
9 Explain the significance of the rivalry of Themistocles and Aristides to the development of Athens
in the 480s. [10]
10* ‘The overthrow of tyranny in Athens happened for exactly the same reasons as the assassination
of Polycrates in Samos.’
To what extent do you agree with this view?
You must use and analyse the ancient sources you have studied as well as supporting your
answer with your own knowledge. [20]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25 Turn over
, 4
Section C
Athens in the Age of Pericles, 462–429 BC
11
(a) Name the political and military leader who was repeatedly elected General of Athens between
443 and 429 BC. [1]
(b) Identify two reasons for the rising tensions between Athens and Sparta after the Persian Wars. [2]
(c) State two criticisms of Pericles’ building programme. [2]
Passage C
‘So this may be a suitable place to consider what great skill or power this woman [Aspasia] had for
her to charm one of the leading men of the state, and cause philosophers to discuss her for a long
time in serious debates… People say that she was copying an Ionian woman from ancient times
called Thargelia by only having relationships with the most powerful men… So, some say that
Pericles favoured Aspasia highly because of her rare political wisdom. Socrates sometimes went to
see her with his followers, and his close friends brought their wives to her to hear her conversation,
even though she ran a business that was not at all honest or even respectable, since she kept a
house of young hetairai… Afterwards, their married life was not happy, so Pericles legally handed
her over to another man (she agreed to this), and he went to live with Aspasia and loved her very
much.’
Plutarch, Life of Pericles 24
12 What can we learn from Passage C about Aspasia? [5]
13 Using details from Passage C, how accurate do you think Plutarch’s account of Aspasia is? [5]
14 Explain the significance of Athena and Poseidon for Athenians. [10]
15* ‘Supporting the institutions of Athenian democracy was the most important role of an Athenian
citizen’.
To what extent do you agree with this view?
You must use and analyse the ancient sources you have studied as well as supporting your
answer with your own knowledge. [20]
© OCR 2025 J198/01 Jun25
