The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

. . . Paul himself was well versed in Classical literature and
encouraged us to be mentally well-equipped.

•;Euripides,;480–406;B.C.,;tragic;play- wright; Recommended: Medea

What happens when you let revenge take over your life? Even brilliant people do horrific things to the people they love most when retaliation replaces reason.

•;Thucydides,;460–c.;395;B.C.,;historian; Recommended: History of the Peloponnesian War

This war brought the Athenian Empire to an end, paving the way for Alexander the Great to take control of Greece. Be sure to find Pericles’ funeral oration in defense of Democracy.

• Xenophon, 430–354 B.C.; Recommended: Anabasis

A group of Greeks find themselves deep in Persian territory and leaderless. They rise to the challenge and, against all odds, make it back home. They rouse their kinsmen to believe that the Persian Empire might yet be defeated.

• Plato, 424–348 B.C.; Recommended: Apology

The most reliable source on Socrates, this piece records the trial of the philosopher against his accusers. One of the most famous defense pieces in history, Socrates stands for principle and his convictions, though the penalty is dire.

• Plutarch, A.D. 46–120 A.D., biographer; Recommended: Parallel Lives

Plutarch writes about famous historical figures from the vantage of success and failure. As an enthusiastic student of the human race, he believed an unguarded comment was better at revealing true character than a great achievement.

Roman Authors

•;Cicero,;106–43;B.C.,;orator,;statesman, philosopher; Recommended: On Duties

A large number of Cicero’s writings are preserved, so picking the first one is tricky. On Duties was written to his son not long before the orator was put to death. Cicero likely considered this essay his magnum opus.

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•;Julius;Caesar,;100–44;B.C.,;politician,
general, writer; Recommended: Com-
mentaries About the Gallic War

•;Vergil,;70–19;B.C.,;epic;poet;;Recom- mended: Aeneid

Rome’s prequel is as important to understanding how the Romans viewed themselves as the Iliad and Odyssey were to the Greeks. This story has adventure, romance, a trip to the underworld, and a dramatic conclusion.

•;Livy,;59;B.C.–A.D.;17,;historian;;Recom- mended: From the Founding of the City

A history of Rome starting with a few mythic accounts before Romulus set up house in 752 B.C. His account is well preserved down to the reign of Augustus, with only a few parts that have gone missing through the centuries.

•;Ovid,;43;B.C.–A.D.;17,;poet;;Recom- mended: Metamorphoses

Ovid outdid himself with this epic poem that accounts for all Classical mythology from the beginning until the end of Julius Caesar. Ovid’s tales would become the best-known versions of most myths.

•;Pliny;the;Younger,;A.D.;61–112;;Rec-
ommended: a letter to Tacitus, “Erup-
tion of Vesuvius”
This is a personal letter to a friend
but absolutely fascinating. Pliny details
the final moments of his uncle, who
fearlessly sailed off in an effort to save
people trapped by the eruption of Mt.
Vesuvius.

•;Josephus,;A.D.;37–100,;historian;;Rec- ommended: The Jewish War

In a strange turn of events, this Jewish historian started by fighting against the Romans only to find himself a Roman citizen and friend to Emperor Titus. He was witness to the destruction of the Temple.

•;Tacitus,;A.D.;55–120,;historian;;Rec- ommended: Annals

Tacitus offers the earliest secular historical records that mention Christ. He does so as he talks about Nero’s persecution of the Christians and a mass execution of Christians after the fire in Rome in A.D. 64.

•;Augustine,;A.D.;354–430;;autobiogra- pher, Christian bishop; Recommended: Confessions

Augustine’s autobiography details his life and conversion to Christianity, crediting his mother’s constant faithful prayers on his behalf. This work offers insight into life as a Christian in the early Byzantine era.

Amy Barr is a homeschool mother of three and a full-time instructor of other home-educated students as co-founder of The Lukeion Project, www.lukeion.org. As an archaeologist, she spent more than a decade excavating sites throughout the Mediterranean and teaching Classics at the college level. Now she and her husband, Regan Barr, offer their expertise through live online workshops and college preparatory high school courses about the Classical world, Latin, and Greek. The two of them lead annual family tours to the Mediterranean and invite you to join them for a tour.