Recommended Reading

Biographical sketches of thirty-five of the most prominent characters in Greek history, from legendary times to the fall of Greece. It begins with the great heroes of Greek Mythology and then follows prominent Greek leaders from the earliest days of Spartan and Athens to the decline of Greece during the Hellenistic era. This book is from the Famous Men Series by John Haaren and A. P. Poland, and is very popular with homeschoolers.

This book covers the history of Greece from the age of mythology to the conquest of Greece by the Romans. Short, accessible chapters tell important stories from Greek history in simple prose, written at 6th grade level, but understandable to even younger readers. An excellent first introduction to Greek history for grammar school students.

This beautifully illustrated version of Aesop's fables is one of the most popular renditions of Aesop’s Fables ever published. It is just as delightful for adults and older children as it is for beginning readers, and like much of the other literature that descends to us from Ancient Greece, reminds us of the sophisticated wisdom of the classical sages.

These short versions of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are part of the Told to the Children series. They are nicely condensed, beautifully illustrated, and recounted in a suitable manner for younger children. The story of The Iliad, begins with the legend of the goddesses and the golden apple, and ends with the death of Hector. It does not include the fall of Troy. In The Odyssey, the adventures of Odysseus begin in the land of the Lotus Eater, and continue with his encounters with Cyclopes, Circe, the Sirens, and Calypso before he returns home to Ithaca, where his faithful wife Penelope awaits him."

Biographical sketches of thirty-five of the most prominent characters in the history of ancient Greece, from legendary times to the fall of Corinth in 146 B.C. These biographical sketches are accessible to younger students, but still fascinate older and more sophisticated students. An excellent selection introduction to the great men of Greece that everyone should read.

This history of Greece is accessible and well organized, but it is considerably more detailed than Guerber's. It covers Greek history from the age of Mythology to the rise of Alexander, but is over twice as long as most other introductory texts. Because of its length, we do not recommend it for 6th grade or younger, but it is an excellent reference, thoroughly engaging, and a good candidate for a middle school student's first foray into Greek history.

These versions of the Iliad and Odyssey are considerably longer than the Told to the Children versions, but still very appropriate for middle school students. They represent a more complicated retelling of Homer's famous epics, and include many more interesting highlights and secondary characters, but are still directed at intermediate students rather than young adults. Alfred Church was a British high school instructor whose whole career was dedicated to popularizing the classics for young people and these books are two of his most-read classics.

This is our favorite rendition of Plutarch's Lives. Instead of including all fifty biographies, Weston focuses only on twelve of Plutarch's most famous subjects. His work is therefore able to retain a great deal more of the character of Plutarch's original narrative than more highly condensed versions. Since Plutarch was a moral philosopher as well as a biographer, retaining the tone and dialogue of the original collection is key to understanding his contribution to Western thought. Plutarchs complete lives run over a thousand pages. This is an excellent condensation.

Morris is a terrific author and these retellings of a few dozen vignettes from Greek history provide an excellent review for anyone whose Greek History needs an enjoyable refresher. Morris includes both famous and lesser known stories in his collection so even those who are familiar with introductory accounts will find plenty of new, and entertaining, material.

These two books, taken together, provide an entertaining, and highly edifying introduction to Greek drama. Each includes abreviated versions of about a dozen famous Greek dramas, all of which include enough translated dialogue to retain the flavor—be it humor or pathos—of the original. The Aristophanes plays in Comedies are especially entertaining and give great insight into the politics of Athens during the Pelopennesian War.

Both of these books are based on the Histories of Herodotus, and preserve much of his tone and humor. They are, however, very well edited and concise, so they provide much of the benefit of reading Herodotus in the original, with only a fraction of the effort. The story of the Persian War includes terrific insight into both Greek and Persian mechinations and is thoroughly engaging. The stories from the East feature stories from Egypt, Babylon, and the founding of the Persian Empire.

This military history provides a concise review of the major conflicts of Ancient times in an engaging manner, rich in detail. Six clashes between the Ancient civilizations and their barbarian neighbors are covered: the Persian invasion of Greece, the fight between Greece and Carthage for Sicily, the Macedonian invasion of Persia, the Punic Wars, Rome's early encounters with Barbarian Celts and Germans, and Rome's fall to the Barbarians.