Ancient World History and Literature

Not long ago I was asked how I designed classes for our high school young adults. We have taken several approaches to formulating classes based on the strengths, interests, and future plans of the individual. Our oldest son had a great interest and gift for history. This was, by my understanding, his favorite subject in high school. He read constantly, checking out books of interest at the library.

With his interest in history, we divided American History into Early American (to 1850) and Modern (from 1850 to present), and World History into Ancient (to the Reformation) and Modern (from the Reformation) so that we could allow time for him to dig deeper into his interest. His self-motivation led to a much more comprehensive course.

For readers who are interested in more detail as to what we constituted Ancient Word History, here is our reading list for the course, for that student. Remember, he was a self-motivated reader and we simply allowed him to use a textbook as a framework and then dig deeper into areas of interest. By the end of the school year, he did less textbook reading and more primary source or living history reading.

*Please do not use this as a comparison for what your student should or should not be doing. Comparing ourselves or our children to others leads to discouragement and discontent. It is in no way valuable. These examples are only intended as an encouragement, encouragement to think outside the textbook when designing courses for your student. My student might be a reader, but your student may have an opportunity to intern with a local businessman. Use what God has provided and pray about how He would be preparing your young adult for the plans He has, not the ones we best intention.


Our textbook was World History and Cultures, George Thompson and Jerry Combee, Abeka Books. God provided an opportunity for this student to tour many sites in Rome, including a day inside the ancient city wall. Though I could be discouraged that my other children may not have the same opportunity, I await the provision He has for each of them as they walk through their lives.

• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
• Oedipus at Colonus, Sophocles
• Antigone, Sophocles
• Mysteries of Ancient China, Rawson
• Daily Life in Ancient Egypt, Sameh
• Mythology, Hamilton
• The Roman Way, Hamilton
• The Greek Way, Hamilton
• The Death of Socrates, Plato
• For the Temple, Henty
• The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone, Giblin
• The Great Wall, Fisher
• In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, Wood
• The Republic, Plato
• The Young Carthaginian, Henty
• The Eagle of the Ninth, Sutcliff
• Anna of Byzantium, Barrett
• City of God, Augustine
• I, Claudius, Graves
• Claudius the God, Graves
• Don Quixote, Cervantes
• Julius Caesar, Shakespeare