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.
Did you find this review helpful?
146 Items found Print
Active Filters: History Curriculum
Adam and His Kin
by Ruth Beechick
from Mott Media
Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
Alexander the Great
by Robert Green
from Grolier Publishing
Biography for 4th-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.50 (3 in stock)
Alexander The Great
by Jane Bingham
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Alexander the Great
by Robert Green
from Grolier Publishing
Biography for 4th-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Civilizations & the Bible - Student Manual
by Diana Waring
from Diana Waring Presents
History Curriculum for 4th-9th grade
in Diana Waring History Revealed (Location: OHIS-DWHR)
Ancient Civilizations & the Bible - True Tales CDs
by Diana Waring
3rd edition from Diana Waring Presents
History Curriculum for 1st-10th grade
in Diana Waring History Revealed (Location: OHIS-DWHR)
Ancient Civilizations & the Bible - What in the World? CDs
by Diana Waring
3rd edition from Diana Waring Presents
History Curriculum for 1st-10th grade
in Diana Waring History Revealed (Location: OHIS-DWHR)
Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece
by Michelle Miller
from TruthQuest History
History Curriculum for 5th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Egypt- Greenleaf Guide
by Cynthia Shearer
from Greenleaf Press
Ancient Egypt History Curriculum for 2nd-7th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$7.50 $4.50 (2 in stock)
Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors
by Marian Broida
from Chicago Review Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Ancient Greece
by Michelle Miller
from TruthQuest History
for 5th-12th grade
in TruthQuest History (Location: HISCUR-TQ)
$24.95 $17.50 (1 in stock)
Ancient Greek Art
Art in History
by Susie Hodge
from Heinemann Educational Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Ancient History - Intermediate Teacher Guide
by Rebecca Manor
2nd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$24.95
Ancient History - Timeline (Intermediate)
by Rebecca Manor
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$15.95
Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors
by Marian Broida
from Chicago Review Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Israel (Location: HISW-ANIS)
$18.95
Ancient Rome
by Michelle Miller
from TruthQuest History
History Curriculum for 5th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in TruthQuest History (Location: HISCUR-TQ)
$24.95 $17.50 (2 in stock)
Ancient Times
by Suzanne Strauss Art
from Pemblewick Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Ancient America (Location: HISW-ANAM)
Archimedes and the Door of Science
by Jeanne Bendick
from Bethlehem Books
Biography for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.95 $9.50 (1 in stock)
Archimedes and the Door of Science
by Jeanne Bendick
from Purple House Press
Biography for 5th-8th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.99
Atarax the Wolf Tells: Greek Myths
by Adam De Gree
from Classical Historian
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$7.50
BiblioPlan Companion, Year One
by Julia Nalle, Rob Nalle
from BiblioPlan for Families
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Miscellaneous History Curriculum (Location: HISCUR-MISC)
Black Ships Before Troy
by Rosemary Sutcliff
from Laurel-Leaf Books
Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Book of the Ancient Greeks
by Dorothy Mills
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.50
Book of the Ancient Greeks - Student Guide
by Matthew Anderson
from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Book of the Ancient Greeks - Teacher Guide
by Matthew Anderson
from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Book of the Ancient Romans
by Dorothy Mills
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.50
Book of the Ancient Romans - Student Guide
by Dorothy Mills
from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90
Book of the Ancient Romans - Teacher Guide
by Dorothy Mills
from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Book of the Ancient World
by Dorothy Mills
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.50 $12.00 (2 in stock)
Book of the Ancient World - Teacher Guide
by Matthew Anderson
from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $12.00 (2 in stock)
Brave Cloelia
by Jane Curry
1st edition from J. Paul Getty Museum
for 4th-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.95 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Bronze Bow
by Elizabeth George Speare
from Houghton Mifflin
Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade
1962 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
City
by David Macaulay
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-8th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$14.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
Classical Kids
by Laurie Carlson
from Chicago Review Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Curious Historian 2A - Student Edition
by Aaron Larsen
1st edition from Classical Academic Press
for 4th-8th grade
in CAP Curious Historian (Location: HISCUR-CUR)
$29.95
Curious Historian 2A - Teacher's Edition
by Aaron Larsen
1st edition from Classical Academic Press
for 4th-8th grade
in CAP Curious Historian (Location: HISCUR-CUR)
$34.95
Curious Historian 2B - Student Edition
by Aaron Larsen
1st edition from Classical Academic Press
for 4th-8th grade
in CAP Curious Historian (Location: HISCUR-CUR)
$29.95
Curious Historian 2B - Teacher's Edition
by Aaron Larsen
1st edition from Classical Academic Press
for 6th-8th grade
in CAP Curious Historian (Location: HISCUR-CUR)
$32.95
D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths - Memoria Press Package
from Memoria Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$62.90
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire
from Yearling
Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$19.99
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths - Audio CD
by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire
from Yearling
Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade
in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO)
$25.00 $14.00 (1 in stock)
D'Aulaires' Greek Myths - Student Guide
by Leigh & Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $13.00 (2 in stock)
D'Aulaires' Greek Myths - Teacher Guide
by Leigh & Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
Teacher's Guide for 3rd-6th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Damon, Pythias, and the Test of Friendship
by Teresa Bateman
from Albert Whitman & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Greece
DK Eyewitness Series
by Anne Pearson
from DK Publishing
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
DK Eyewitness: Ancient Greece
DK Eyewitness Series
by Anne Pearson
from DK Publishing
Greek History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$9.99
Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff
Reprint from Square Fish Publishing
Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99
Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade
$20.00
Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
from Oxford University
Historical Fiction for 6th-9th grade
Early Times: Story of Ancient Greece
by Suzanne Strauss Art
3rd edition from Wayside Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$21.48
Early Times: Story of Ancient Greece
by Suzanne Strauss Art
3rd edition from Wayside Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
Early Times: Story of Ancient Rome
by Suzanne Strauss Art
from Wayside Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$15.95
Early Times: Story of Ancient Rome
by Suzanne Strauss Art
2nd edition from Wayside Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
Famous Men of Greece
by John Haaren & A. B. Poland
1998 printing from Greenleaf Press
Greek History for 4th-9th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$7.50 (4 in stock)
Famous Men of Greece
by John Haaren, A. B. Poland & Leigh Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
Greek History for 4th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.45
Famous Men of Greece - Memoria Press Package
from Memoria Press
for 4th-9th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
Famous Men of Greece - Student Guide
by Leigh Lowe & Tanya Charlton
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90
Famous Men of Greece - Teacher Guide
by Leigh Lowe & Tanya Charlton
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90
Famous Men of Greece Timeline
by Robert Shearer & Trina Dofflemeyer
from Greenleaf Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Famous Men of Rome
by John Haaren, A. B. Poland & Leigh Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.45
Famous Men of Rome
by John Haaren & A. B. Poland
1st edition from Greenleaf Press
Roman History Reference for 4th-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$7.50 (6 in stock)
Famous Men of Rome - Curriculum Bundle
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$61.85
Famous Men of Rome - Curriculum Bundle (old)
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$30.00 (1 in stock)
Famous Men of Rome - Greenleaf Guide
by Cynthia Shearer
from Greenleaf Press
for 4th-9th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$5.00 (4 in stock)
Famous Men of Rome - Student Guide
by Leigh & Cheryl Lowe
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90
Famous Men of Rome - Teacher Guide
by Leigh & Cheryl Lowe
3rd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$19.90
Famous Men of Rome - Teacher Guide (old)
by Leigh & Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Old Edition History & Geography (Location: OHIS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Famous Men of Rome Timeline
by Robert Shearer & Trina Dofflemeyer
from Greenleaf Press
for 4th-9th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
by John Foxe
from Bridge-Logos
for 10th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$18.99
Gilgamesh the King
by Ludmila Zeman
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-4th grade
$8.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
God King
Bethlehem Books Living History Library
by Joanne Williamson
from Bethlehem Books
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95 $9.50 (4 in stock)
Golden Goblet
by Eloise J. McGraw
from Puffin Books
Historical Fiction for 4th-8th grade
1962 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99
Great Wall of China
by Leonard Everett Fisher
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 3rd-5th grade
in China (Location: HISMC-CHI)
$7.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Greece
by Cynthia Shearer
from Greenleaf Press
for 3rd-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of Greece (old)
by Cynthia Shearer
from Greenleaf Press
for 3rd-8th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$9.95 $5.00 (3 in stock)
History of the Ancient World
by Susan Wise Bauer
from W. W. Norton and Co.
Ancient History Reference for Adult
in Story of the World (Location: HISCUR-SoW)
$35.00
History of the Ancient World - Study & Teaching Guide
by Julia Kaziewicz
1st edition from Well-Trained Mind Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Story of the World (Location: HISCUR-SoW)
$27.95 $14.00 (1 in stock)
History of the Medieval World - Study & Teaching Guide
by Julia Kaziewicz
1st edition from Well-Trained Mind Press
for 9th-12th grade
in Story of the World (Location: HISCUR-SoW)
$44.95
History of US Book 1
History of US Book 1
by Joy Hakim
3rd Revised Edition from Oxford University
American History Reference for 5th-9th grade
in History of US (Location: HISA-HAKIM)
$15.95 $11.00 (1 in stock)
Hittite Warrior
Bethlehem Books Living History Library
by Joanne Williamson
from Bethlehem Books
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$14.95
Horatius at the Bridge
by Thomas Babbington Macaulay
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$8.95
Horatius at the Bridge - Student Book
by Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$8.95
Horatius at the Bridge - Teacher Guide
by Cheryl Lowe
2nd edition from Memoria Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Memoria Press Classical Studies (Location: HISCUR-MP)
$11.50
Ides of April
Bethlehem Books Young Adult Bookshelf
by Mary Ray
from Bethlehem Books
for 8th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$13.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)
In Search of a Homeland
by Penelope Lively & Ian Andrew
from Frances Lincoln
Picture Book/Mythology for 4th-8th grade
Indus Valley
by Naida Kirkpatrick
from Heinemann Educational Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
Joshua through Malachi & Ancient Greece
by Sonya Shafer
2nd edition from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 1st-12th grade
in Charlotte Mason Education (Location: HSR-METCM)
Last Quest of Gilgamesh
by Ludmila Zeman
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-4th grade
$8.95 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Librarian Who Measured the Earth
by Kathryn Lasky
from Little, Brown & Company
Biography for 2nd-5th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99 $12.00 (2 in stock)
Life in a Greek Trading Port
Picture the Past
by Jane Shuter
from Heinemann Educational Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
$7.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Life in Ancient China
by Paul Challen
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in China (Location: HISMC-CHI)
$8.95
Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
by Shilpa Mehta-Jones
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ancient Mesopotamia & Persia (Location: HISW-ANME)
$8.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Life in Ancient Mexico - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$5.99
Make it Work! Ancient Egypt
Make It Work!
by Andrew Haslam & Alexandra Parsons
from Two-Can Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$7.95
Mummies Made in Egypt
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
Non-fiction for 2nd-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Mummies Made in Egypt
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
Non-fiction for 2nd-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
Native America on the Eve of Discovery
by Suzanne Strauss Art
from Pemblewick Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Ancient America (Location: HISW-ANAM)
New Testament, Greece and Rome - Home Teacher Manual
2nd edition from Veritas Press
New Testament History Curriculum for 3rd-5th grade
in Veritas Press History (Location: HISCUR-VP)
$39.00
Old Testament and Ancient Egypt - Home Teacher Manual
3rd edition from Veritas Press
Ancient History Curriculum for 2nd-4th grade
in Veritas Press History (Location: HISCUR-VP)
$39.00
Old Testament History - Greenleaf Guide
by Robert & Cynthia Shearer
from Greenleaf Press
Ancient History Reference for 2nd-8th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
$11.95 $8.00 (3 in stock)
12