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The Ancient World (Live)
In this semester-long live course, students will get an overview of ancient history. They will read segments of texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and we will discuss them using the Socratic method during class meetings.
Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
Course Description: In this sixteen-week class, students will read and discuss a variety of historical texts and events from Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome. Class meetings will utilize a Socratic format where the instructor facilitates a discussion using guided questions. This enables students to interact with each other, the instructor, and the content more actively than in a traditional lecture-style course. Please note that this course will explore a variety...
16 lessons//16 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1The Dawn of CivilizationStudents will read a segment from "The Epic of Gilgamesh." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 2Lesson 2The Dawn of SocietyStudents will read a segment from "The Code of Hammurabi." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 3Lesson 3The Old KingdomStudents will read a segment from the Egyptian "Book of the Dead." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 4Lesson 4The Middle KingdomStudents will read a segment from a teaching that King Amenemhat I gave to his son. We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 5Lesson 5The Trojan WarStudents will read a segment from Homer's "The Iliad." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 6Lesson 6The Oral TraditionStudents will read a segment from Homer's "The Odyssey." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 7Lesson 7The Persian WarsStudents will read a segment from Herodotus' histories. We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 8Lesson 8The Peloponnesian WarStudents will read a segment from Thucydides' chronicle of the Peloponnesian War. We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 9Lesson 9The City-StateStudents will read a segment from Xenophon's "Hellenika." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 10Lesson 10The Dawn of DemocracyStudents will read a segment from Plato's "Apology." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 11Lesson 11The Expedition of the Ten ThousandStudents will read a segment from Xenophon's "Anabasis." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 12Lesson 12The Campaigns of AlexanderStudents will read a segment from Arrian's chronicle of Alexander the Great's military campaigns. We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 13Lesson 13The Foundation of RomeStudents will read a segment from Livy's "The Early History of Rome." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 14Lesson 14The Roman RepublicStudents will read a segment from Plutarch's "Fall of the Roman Republic." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 15Lesson 15The Command of CaesarStudents will read a segment from Julius Caesar's account of his military campaigns. We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.Week 16Lesson 16The Roman EmpireStudents will read a segment from Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations." We will go over the reading in class and the instructor will contextualize it in the events of the period. Then we will have a Socratic discussion based on guided reading questions. There will also be an optional written assignment.
- Students will hone their critical thinking and analytical skills, practice actively participating in group discussions, and gain a better cultural and historical understanding of their world.
- Students will come away having read portions of a variety of texts that give them a better understanding of the people, events, and ideas that led to modern civilization.
- Students will develop a greater understanding of history, thought, and culture over time.
- Students will gain the opportunity to read dense texts in small, age-appropriate chunks, which enables them to develop their reading comprehension and analytical skills in a meaningful way.
I have a BA in Philosophy with minors in Political Science and Greek and Roman Studies, as well as an MA in Philosophy with a concentration in Ethics and Political Philosophy. I’m the head coach of a competitive high school debate team and teach the liberal arts at a classical school. I’m also a professional creative writer and journalist. I love helping students of all ages understand and interpret difficult subjects and learn how to crystallize their thoughts in writing and oral communication. I believe studying historical primary sources is a wonderful way to facilitate this kind of growth and learning.
1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assignments
Frequency: includedFeedback: includedDetails: Short but dense reading assignments will be required prior to each class meeting. Weekly optional writing assignments of around 250 words will also be offered. I will provide grading and feedback on these assignments if it is desired. In order to receive a grade for the course, students must complete at least four of these assignments. They can complete another assignment to replace a grade if they wish, for up to sixteen completed assignments. A student who only completes two assignments may receive a certificate of completion for the course if they so choose. Written assignments are entirely optional. The only requirement for the course is reading and participating in class discussions.Letter Grade
Frequency: includedDetails: Letter grades will be offered as an option for students who complete at least four written assignments.Certificate of Completion
Frequency: includedDetails: A certificate of completion will be offered as an option for students who complete at least two written assignments.
If your student wishes to read more than the assigned portions of each text, or if you prefer to have physical copies of the books themselves, below is a comprehensive list of the editions we will be using in this course: Arrian. The Landmark Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander. Edited by James Romm and Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Pamela Mensch. New York: Anchor Books, 2012. Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. Translated by Gregory Hays. New York: Modern Library, 2002. Caesar, Julius. The Landmark Julius Caesar: The Complete Works. Edited by Kurt A. Raaflaub and Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Kurt A. Raaflaub. New York: Anchor Books, 2019. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated by NK Sandars. London: Penguin Classics, 1972. Hammurabi. The Code of Hammurabi. Translated by Robert Francis Harper. Clark: Lawbook Exchange, 2010. Herodotus. The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Andrea L. Purvis. New York: Vintage Books, 2007. Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. London: Penguin Classics, 1998. Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. London: Penguin Classics, 1997. Livy. The Early History of Rome. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. London: Penguin Classics, 2002. Plato. Complete Works. Edited by John M. Cooper and DS Hutchinson. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997. Plutarch. Fall of the Roman Republic. Translated by Robin Seager and Rex Warner. London: Penguin Classics, 2005. Thucydides. The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Richard Crawley. New York: Free Press, 2008. Writings from Ancient Egypt. Translated by Toby Wilkinson. London: Penguin Classics, 2017. Xenophon. The Landmark Xenophon’s Anabasis. Edited by Shane Brennan, Robert B. Strassler, and David Thomas. Translated by David Thomas. New York: Pantheon Books, 2021. Xenophon. The Landmark Xenophon’s Hellenika. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by John Marincola. New York: Vintage Books, 2010.
Please note that this course will explore a variety of potentially difficult topics, ideas, and events from divergent perspectives. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to review the syllabus in order to determine if they wish their child to analyze and discuss this content. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.
Arrian. The Landmark Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander. Edited by James Romm and Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Pamela Mensch. New York: Anchor Books, 2012. Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. Translated by Gregory Hays. New York: Modern Library, 2002. Caesar, Julius. The Landmark Julius Caesar: The Complete Works. Edited by Kurt A. Raaflaub and Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Kurt A. Raaflaub. New York: Anchor Books, 2019. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated by NK Sandars. London: Penguin Classics, 1972. Hammurabi. The Code of Hammurabi. Translated by Robert Francis Harper. Clark: Lawbook Exchange, 2010. Herodotus. The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Andrea L. Purvis. New York: Vintage Books, 2007. Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. London: Penguin Classics, 1998. Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. London: Penguin Classics, 1997. Livy. The Early History of Rome. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. London: Penguin Classics, 2002. Plato. Complete Works. Edited by John M. Cooper and DS Hutchinson. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997. Plutarch. Fall of the Roman Republic. Translated by Robin Seager and Rex Warner. London: Penguin Classics, 2005. Thucydides. The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by Richard Crawley. New York: Free Press, 2008. Writings from Ancient Egypt. Translated by Toby Wilkinson. London: Penguin Classics, 2017. Xenophon. The Landmark Xenophon’s Anabasis. Edited by Shane Brennan, Robert B. Strassler, and David Thomas. Translated by David Thomas. New York: Pantheon Books, 2021. Xenophon. The Landmark Xenophon’s Hellenika. Edited by Robert B. Strassler. Translated by John Marincola. New York: Vintage Books, 2010.
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University
Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Illinois Wesleyan University
I have a BA in Philosophy with minors in Political Science and Greek and Roman Studies, as well as an MA in Philosophy with a concentration in Ethics and Political Philosophy. I’m the head coach of a competitive high school debate team and teach...
Reviews
Group Class
$30
weekly or $480 for 16 classes1x per week, 16 weeks
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
1-18 learners per class