Section III (Personalities): Agrippina the Younger

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's death. The Poppaea Sabina factor, the plot of Anicetus and the collapsing boat at Baiae in March AD 59, the failure of the shipwreck, the murder by centurions at the Lucrine villa, Nero's letter to the Senate, the public reaction, and the subsequent deterioration of Nero's reign.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina the Younger's context. The Julio-Claudian dynasty from Augustus to Nero, the political role of imperial women, the legacy of Livia and Antonia, and the prestige of Agrippina's descent from Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's historiography. The hostile senatorial tradition of Tacitus (Annals 11 to 14), Suetonius (Caligula, Claudius, Nero), Cassius Dio (60 to 61), Pliny the Elder's contemporary fragments, the lost autobiography, and modern reassessments by Barrett, Ginsburg, Wood, and Hemelrijk.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina as the wife of Claudius. The senatorial decree legalising the uncle-niece marriage, the title Augusta in AD 50, the adoption of Nero, the betrothal of Nero to Octavia, the founding of Colonia Agrippinensis, and the elimination of rivals Lollia Paulina, Domitia Lepida, and Statilius Taurus.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's pre-Claudian career. Marriage to Domitius Ahenobarbus (AD 28), the birth of Nero (AD 37), the early honours under Caligula, the conspiracy of Lepidus (AD 39), exile to the Pontian Islands, marriage to Passienus Crispus, and return to favour under Claudius.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina as the mother of Nero. The death of Claudius (13 October AD 54), the accession of Nero, the early co-rule with Agrippina on coinage, the watchword 'Optima Mater', the death of Britannicus in AD 55, the rise of Burrus and Seneca, and Agrippina's loss of political influence.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's political network. Her alliance with the freedman Pallas, the elimination of Narcissus, the appointment of Burrus as sole Praetorian Prefect in AD 51, the recall of Seneca as Nero's tutor in AD 49, provincial appointments to her client senators, and the limits of her informal power.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's public image. The title Augusta, the carpentum, the jugate coinage with Claudius and Nero, the Sebasteion relief at Aphrodisias, the priesthood of Divus Claudius, the founding of Colonia Agrippinensis, and the iconographic continuity with Livia and Agrippina the Elder.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Agrippina's religious and foreign policy role. Her flaminate of Divus Claudius from AD 54, the temple of the Deified Claudius on the Caelian, the colonial foundation at Cologne in AD 50, the British triumph and Caratacus, the Armenian succession and Mithridates of the Bosporus, and the limits of her control over external affairs.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's building program. The Deir el-Bahri mortuary temple (Djeser-Djeseru) designed by Senenmut, the obelisks at Karnak, the Red Chapel, the Speos Artemidos, and the purpose of construction as religious legitimation and political display.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's death and proscription. The KV 60 mummy identification (2007), the date of her death around 1458 BC, the later proscription by Thutmose III (after year 42), the scope and pattern of the damnatio memoriae, and the historiographical debate over motivation.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's foreign policy. The Punt expedition (year 9) recorded at Deir el-Bahri, the Nubian campaigns, Sinai turquoise mining at Serabit el-Khadim, and the debate over whether the reign was militarily quiet or actively expansionist.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's historical context. The early 18th Dynasty, the expulsion of the Hyksos, the reigns of Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, and Thutmose I, the rise of Theban kingship, and the political role of the Great Royal Wife in Hatshepsut's lineage.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut historiography. The Manethonic tradition, Naville's 1890s Deir el-Bahri excavations, the early "usurper queen" view, and the modern revisions by Tyldesley, Dorman, and Roehrig that recover Hatshepsut as a legitimate and effective pharaoh.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's officials. Senenmut as chief steward and tutor to Neferure, Hapuseneb as high priest of Amun, Nehesi as Chancellor and leader of the Punt expedition, Ineni as an architect, and the verdicts of Tyldesley and Dorman on Senenmut.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's religious policy. The cult of Amun-Re, the divine birth at Deir el-Bahri, the role of God's Wife of Amun, the Opet and Beautiful Festival of the Valley, the Speos Artemidos restoration claim, and the verdicts of Tyldesley and Roehrig.

A focused answer to the HSC Ancient History dot point on Hatshepsut's rise to power. From Great Royal Wife of Thutmose II to regent for Thutmose III, then to co-ruler and pharaoh by around year 7 of his reign, with the divine birth and coronation iconography and the verdicts of Tyldesley and Roehrig.