Recommendations for Ancient Literature Curriculum

[freeindeed]

Do you all have a favorite? I'm looking for Greek or Roman or a combination of the two. Thanks. 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Lukeion Muse Unloosed (Greek) and Muse Reloosed (Roman) online classes. Dr. Fisher brings so much to these classes.

[Lori D.]

We went "DIY" so we could go with the works that were most of interest to *us*. We used some individual lit. guides as helpful "springboards" for our own deeper digging. A lot of people who go this route really recommend the Teaching Company Great Course lecture series by Dr. Vandiver on the Iliad and the Odyssey.

 

I noticed in your signature that your 14yo is reading Greek mythology -- might your student enjoy studying for and taking the National Mythology Exam?

 

Lukeion (secular) has the Muse series of online classes on ancient Greek and Roman Literature.

Memoria Press (Christian) has some classical literature guides to go with ancient Greek and Roman Lit.

The Greenleaf Guide (Christian) covers 5 ancient works.

[Roadrunner]

Lukeion Muse Unloosed (Greek) and Muse Reloosed (Roman) online classes. Dr. Fisher brings so much to these classes.

Would you call this one full credit for the year (both of them together)? Is there enough writing? How detailed is feedback on written assignments?

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Would you call this one full credit for the year (both of them together)? Is there enough writing? How detailed is feedback on written assignments?

I gave a semester credit for each. There was a good amount of reading. Often a play in a week or a similar amount when reading other genres.

 

We took the class a couple years ago, so specifics may have changed. We did 4 papers per semester. Most were model papers in which the student took the style characteristics of a type of work and recreated it. For example write a story in epic form. The assignment and class sessions included a discussion of what the characteristic elements were. I think there was one analytical paper that discusses elements of Roman comedy in a modern sitcom show.

 

One positive aspect in my mind was the breadth of what we read. It included history, philosophy and even medical texts. One drawback was that the breadth meant that we didn't read as many Greek plays as if it had been drama only. It is a sampler style survey course.

 

I do plan to have my younger son take it next year.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I also really like the Vandiver lectures Lori D mentioned above.

[Pronghorn]

Roman Roads Media has Old Western Culture.

[Corraleno]

Would you call this one full credit for the year (both of them together)? Is there enough writing? How detailed is feedback on written assignments?

 

Yes, it's worth a full credit. There is quite a lot of reading (they covered nearly all of the Oxford Anthology of Roman Literature in the second semester, for example), plus a quiz every other week and eight writing assignments (4 per semester). The writing assignments are more on the creative vs analytical side (e.g. writing in the style of the author being studied), but feedback is good. The mythology class taught by Amy Barr has a similar structure, but the writing assignments include a research paper each semester. Both courses are really excellent and well worth a full English credit. (DS did the Greek half of Amy's course and the Roman half of Sue's course.)

[freeindeed]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will look into them.