Ancient History

History is like a tree—the ancient parts are roots, and as the story progresses the trunk rises and branches expand to encompass every person and event since Adam and Eve. Because history is unified, every element of the story is interconnected, even if that connection is distant. Furthermore, the current parts are all directly the product of the parts that have come before, and to understand the current situation you'll need to understand the past.

Understanding the ancient history roots at the bottom of the tree is essential for a proper perspective of everything that comes after. Some people take this too far and assume that ancient history is all that matters, but those who disregard it or understand it on no more than a cursory level are just as mistaken. Just as a building must have a strong foundation, so a study of history must begin in the right place.

The ancient world was different from ours, and the same. It was different in primarily physical ways: technology was less advanced, there were fewer people, and the general standard of living was far below what we enjoy (at least in the industrialized world). However, human nature never changes, and the same universal conflict that exists today—between God's children and His enemies—raged then.

It's interesting to what extent the dominant theories and philosophies of the modern world reflect those of the ancients. There is truly nothing new under the sun, and the Enlightenment rationalism, faith in human progress, belief in man's innate goodness, evolutionary idealism, and even postmodernism against which Christians fight all have their roots in the ideas of the Babylonians, Greeks, Egyptians, and every other early civilization.

That doesn't mean there isn't a clear trajectory from the ancient world to the present. Ideas all run a distinct course, and some reach prominence at different times; while the seeds of every successive philosophy were sown in the ancient world, it took time to grow them into what we recognize how as humanism, modernism, postmodernism, and the ever-illusory post-postmodernism.

The same is true of events. The history of any period is simply the chronicle of man's attempts to thwart God's will and Yahweh's use of even the most outrageous rebellion to achieve His own ends. In some ways, this is more obvious in ancient history, as the nation of Israel fought the surrounding nations, and too often embraced their paganism.

That story, of God's work among His people and in the world, and of man's continual rebellion, is also our story. The Church fights the same battles our Israelite forefathers did, though on a more ideological rather than physical scale. When we realize how much the story of the ancients is our own story, the significance of studying their world becomes much clearer, and the urgency of such study is made plain.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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Adventures in Ancient Greece
by Linda Bailey
from Kids Can Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
All Through the Ages
by Christine Miller
3rd edition from Nothing New Press
World History Reference for All grades
in World History Reference (Location: HISW-REF)
Ancient Egypt
by Robert Nicholson
from Scholastic Inc.
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Greek War and Weapons
by Haydn Middleton
from Heinemann Educational Books
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Greeks
by Sophie Descamps-Lequime & Denise Vernerey
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Ancient Romans
People of the Ancient World
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Ancient Rome
Discoveries Series
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Ancient Sicily
Monuments Past & Present
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$27.00
Archaeologists Dig For Clues
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Archaeology Book
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$15.19
Art and Civilization: Ancient Rome
Art and Civilization
by Giovanni Di Pasquale & Matilde Bardi
from Peter Bedrick Books
Roman History Reference for 4th-6th grade
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$12.00 (2 in stock)
Aztecs
Journey Into Civilization
by Robert Nicholson and Claire Watts
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British Museum Visitor's Guide
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City
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Classical Rome
by John D. Clare, ed.
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Cultural Atlas for Young People: Africa
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African History Reference/Atlas for 4th-8th grade
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$35.00
Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient America
by Marion Wood
1st edition from Facts On File
Ancient History Reference/Atlas for 4th-8th grade
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient China
by Tony Allan
from Facts On File
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Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Egypt
by Geraldine Harris
3rd edition from Facts On File
Ancient History for 4th-8th grade
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$35.00 $24.00 (1 in stock)
Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Greece
by Anton Powell
3rd edition from Facts On File
Atlas/Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$35.00
Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Maya & Aztec Civilizations
by Marion Wood
3rd edition from Facts On File
Ancient History Reference/Atlas for 4th-8th grade
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Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Mesopotamia
by Erica C. D. Hunter
3rd edition from Facts On File
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$15.00 (1 in stock)
Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Rome
by Mike Corbishley
3rd edition from Facts On File
Atlas/Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$35.00
Discovery of New Worlds
Story of the World Series #2
by M. B. Synge
from Yesterday's Classics
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$13.95
Discovery of New Worlds
Story of the World Series #2
by M. B. Synge
from Living Book Press
History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in History Spines & Surveys (Location: HISRF-SPINE)
DK Eyewitness: Ancient China
DK Eyewitness Series
by Arthur Cotterell
from DK Publishing
Chinese History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$16.99
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Egypt
DK Eyewitness Series
by George Hart
from DK Publishing
Egyptian History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$9.00 (1 in stock)
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Egypt
DK Eyewitness Series
by George Hart
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Egyptian History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Greece
DK Eyewitness Series
by Anne Pearson
from DK Publishing
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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DK Eyewitness: Ancient Greece
DK Eyewitness Series
by Anne Pearson
from DK Publishing
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Rome
DK Eyewitness Series
by Simon James
from DK Publishing
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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DK Eyewitness: Ancient Rome
DK Eyewitness Series
by Simon James
from DK Publishing
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Rome
DK Eyewitness Series
by Simon James
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Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
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$9.99
DK Eyewitness: Aztec, Inca & Maya
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
DK Revealed: Ancient Rome
by Peter Chrisp
1st edition from DK Children
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$7.00 (1 in stock)
Early Civilization
Usborne Illustrated World History
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Ancient History Reference for 4th-6th grade
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$3.60 (2 in stock)
Egyptian Mummies - Pop-Up Book
by Milbry Polk, Roger Stewart
1st edition from Dutton Children's Books
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Egyptian Pyramid
Inside Story
by Jacqueline Morley, Mark Bergin, John James
from Peter Bedrick Books
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Excavating the Past: Ancient Greece
by Christine Hatt
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First Civilizations
History of Everyday Things
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Focus on Ancient Egyptians
by Anita Ganeri
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Gladiator
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Great Britain to 1688 / Great Britain Since 1688
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$16.00 (1 in stock)
Great Pyramid
Wonders of the World
by Elizabeth Mann
Reprint from Mikaya Press
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$14.95
Greek News
The History News
by Anton Powell & Philip Steele
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$4.50 (3 in stock)
Greek News
The History News
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Greeks
by Pamela Odijk
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Guide to Egypt
by Michael March
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$1.50 (2 in stock)
How the West Won
by Rodney Stark
from Intercollegiate Studies Institute
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$18.00
How Would You Survive As An Ancient Roman?
by Anita Ganeri, David Salariya
from Franklin Watts
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Howard Carter: Searching for King Tut
by Barbara Ford
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
by Geraldine Harris & Delia Pemberton
from Peter Bedrick Books
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$14.00 (1 in stock)
In Search of Ancient Crete
by Gian Paolo Ceserani, Piero Ventura
from Silver Burdett Press
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In Search of Troy
by Gian Paolo Ceserani, Piero Ventura
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In Search of Troy
by Giovanni Caselli
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Incas
by Rosemary Rees
from Heinemann Educational Books
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Kingfisher Atlas of the Ancient World
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Life in a Greek Trading Port
Picture the Past
by Jane Shuter
from Heinemann Educational Books
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Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
by Shilpa Mehta-Jones
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Life in Ancient Rome
by William Crouch
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$4.50 (1 in stock)
Life of a Roman Slave
by Don Nardo
from Lucent Press
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Lost Wreck of the Isis
A Time Quest Book
by Robert D. Ballard
from Scholastic Inc.
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$2.50 (1 in stock)
Monuments Past & Present: Italy
by Giorgia Kapatsoris
from J. Paul Getty Museum
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in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$19.00
Mummies & Pyramids
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Sam Taplin
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$4.05 (1 in stock)
Mummies & Their Mysteries
by Charlotte Wilcox
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure
by Lila Perl
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Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure
by Lila Perl
from Houghton Mifflin
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$7.50 (2 in stock)
Mummy
by James Putnam
First Edition
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Old Western Culture Year 1 DVD Set
by Wesley Callihan
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by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
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$56.00
Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 1 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
2019th edition from Roman Roads Media
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Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 2
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
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$56.00
Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 2 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 3
by Wesley Callihan
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$56.00
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Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 1
by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 1 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 2
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Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 3
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Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 4
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 1
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 2
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by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 3
by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 3 - Reader
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 4
by Wesley Callihan
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Old Western Culture Year 4 Volume 4 - Reader
by Wesley Callihan
from Roman Roads Media
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Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Civilizations
by John Haywood
from Penguin Putnam
for 9th-12th grade
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt
by Bill Manley
from Penguin Putnam
Atlas for 2nd-7th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$16.95 $11.00 (2 in stock)
Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece
by Robert Morkot
from Penguin Putnam
Atlas/Greek History Reference for 9th-12th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$18.00 $11.00 (2 in stock)
Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome
by Chris Scarre
from Penguin Putnam
Roman History Reference for 9th-12th grade
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$11.00 (1 in stock)
Pompeii: City of Ashes
by Sarah Pitt Kaplan
from Children's Press
for 3rd-6th grade
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Pyramids
by Anne Millard
from Kingfisher
for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Pyramids of Ancient Egypt
by John D. Clare, ed.
from Harcourt
for 4th-6th grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Riddle of the Rosetta Stone
by James Giblin
from HarperCollins
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in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$8.99
Roman Engineers
by J. A. Hamey, L. A. Hamey
from Lerner Publishing Group
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in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
12