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100+ Free GCSE Ancient History Practice Questions

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Where did Alexander the Great die in 323 BC?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: GCSE Ancient History Exam

9-1

Grading scale

Ofqual

May-June

Exam series

OCR timetable

1 board

Specifications available

OCR

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

OCR GCSE Ancient History is assessed through linear end-of-course exam papers (Key Stage 4). Coverage spans greek period study, greek depth study, roman period study, and grading uses the 9-1 scale on 2026 specifications.

Sample GCSE Ancient History Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your GCSE Ancient History exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In which year did the Battle of Marathon take place?
A.480 BC
B.490 BC
C.479 BC
D.499 BC
Explanation: The Battle of Marathon was fought in 490 BC between Athens (with Plataean support) and the invading Persian forces sent by Darius I. The Athenian hoplite victory ended Darius's first invasion of mainland Greece.
2Which Persian king launched the first invasion of Greece that ended at Marathon?
A.Cyrus the Great
B.Cambyses II
C.Darius I
D.Xerxes I
Explanation: Darius I sent the expedition under Datis and Artaphernes that landed at Marathon in 490 BC, partly in retaliation for Athenian support of the Ionian Revolt. His son Xerxes led the second, larger invasion ten years later.
3Which two Greek cities were the primary Greek combatants at the Battle of Marathon?
A.Athens and Sparta
B.Athens and Plataea
C.Sparta and Corinth
D.Thebes and Athens
Explanation: Athens fought at Marathon with only one ally on the field, Plataea, a small Boeotian city. Sparta famously arrived too late because of the Carneia religious festival, according to Herodotus.
4Who was the Athenian commander credited by Herodotus with persuading the generals to fight at Marathon?
A.Themistocles
B.Aristides
C.Miltiades
D.Cimon
Explanation: Miltiades, one of the ten Athenian strategoi, convinced the polemarch Callimachus to give the order to attack and is credited with the tactical plan that defeated the Persians at Marathon in 490 BC.
5How long was the pass at Thermopylae held against Xerxes's army in 480 BC, according to Herodotus?
A.One day
B.Three days
C.Seven days
D.Two weeks
Explanation: Herodotus reports that the Greek allied force under Leonidas held the narrow pass at Thermopylae for three days before the Persians used the Anopaea path, guided by the local Ephialtes, to outflank them.
6Who was the Spartan king who died defending the pass at Thermopylae?
A.Leotychidas
B.Pausanias
C.Leonidas
D.Cleomenes
Explanation: Leonidas, one of Sparta's two kings, commanded the Greek rearguard at Thermopylae and was killed on the third day. His personal bodyguard of 300 Spartiates fought to the last alongside the Thespians.
7In which year was the naval Battle of Salamis fought?
A.490 BC
B.480 BC
C.479 BC
D.478 BC
Explanation: Salamis was fought in September 480 BC, shortly after Thermopylae and the Persian sack of Athens. The Greek fleet, with the Athenians providing the largest contingent, decisively defeated Xerxes's fleet in the narrow straits.
8Which Athenian statesman persuaded Athens to use the silver from Laurium to build a large trireme fleet before Xerxes's invasion?
A.Aristides
B.Themistocles
C.Cimon
D.Pericles
Explanation: Themistocles convinced the Athenian assembly in the 480s BC to use a windfall of silver from the mines at Laurium to build around 200 triremes. This fleet proved decisive at Salamis in 480 BC.
9At which battle in 479 BC was the Persian land army under Mardonius decisively defeated in mainland Greece?
A.Plataea
B.Salamis
C.Mycale
D.Eurymedon
Explanation: The Battle of Plataea in 479 BC saw the combined Greek hoplite army, commanded by the Spartan regent Pausanias, defeat Mardonius's Persian force in Boeotia. Mardonius was killed and the invasion of mainland Greece ended.
10What event in 499 BC is generally regarded as the trigger for the Persian Wars?
A.The Athenian invasion of Sicily
B.The Ionian Revolt
C.The sack of Sardis by Cyrus
D.The Battle of Lade
Explanation: The Ionian Revolt began in 499 BC when the Greek cities of Asia Minor rose against Persian rule. Athenian and Eretrian support for the rebels, including the burning of Sardis, gave Darius his pretext to invade mainland Greece.

About the GCSE Ancient History Exam

GCSE Ancient History is offered by OCR as part of the UK General Certificate of Secondary Education qualification framework. The course covers greek period study, greek depth study, roman period study, roman depth study and is assessed primarily through written exam papers at the end of the two-year course.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

3-5 hours total across multiple papers

Passing Score

Grade 4 is the standard pass, Grade 5 is the strong pass (1-9 scale)

Exam Fee

£40-£80 per subject (school-set entry fee) (OCR)

GCSE Ancient History Exam Content Outline

Core

Greek Period Study

The Persian Wars 499-449 BC OR Alexander the Great

Core

Greek Depth Study

The Politics and Society of Ancient Sparta 478-404 BC OR Athens in the Time of Pericles

Core

Roman Period Study

The Foundations of Rome 753-440 BC OR The Julio-Claudian Emperors 31 BC-AD 68

Core

Roman Depth Study

Hannibal and the Second Punic War OR Britannia: from Conquest to Province AD 43-c.84

Core

Ancient Sources

Critical analysis of ancient sources (Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, Tacitus, Suetonius)

How to Pass the GCSE Ancient History Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Grade 4 is the standard pass, Grade 5 is the strong pass (1-9 scale)
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 3-5 hours total across multiple papers
  • Exam fee: £40-£80 per subject (school-set entry fee)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

GCSE Ancient History Study Tips from Top Performers

1Use past papers from your specific exam board — questions follow the same style year on year
2Time yourself on full papers to build pacing for the long extended-response questions
3Build a clear understanding of mark schemes — examiners reward specific assessment objectives
4Review examiner reports each summer; common errors repeat

Frequently Asked Questions

What exam boards offer GCSE Ancient History?

GCSE Ancient History is offered by OCR. All boards follow Ofqual subject content but vary in the choice of set texts, optional topics, and paper structure.

When is the GCSE Ancient History exam taken?

Exams are written in the May-June series at the end of the two-year Key Stage 4 course. Most students sit the papers in Year 11.

How is GCSE Ancient History graded?

GCSEs are graded on the 9-1 scale, where 9 is the highest grade. A grade 4 is a standard pass, and grade 5 is a strong pass. Grade 7 is broadly equivalent to the old A grade.

How many papers does GCSE Ancient History have?

Most GCSE subjects have 2-3 written papers. The exact number, timing, and weighting depend on the chosen exam board. Some subjects also include a non-examined assessment (NEA) coursework component.