Roman Roads Press Blog

Category: Great Books

Ancient use of "Tyrant" and "Despot" | Excerpt from Drama and Lyric

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

Here is a little snippet of fun information from lecture 5 of Greeks: Drama and Lyric, part of the Old Western Culture video course series by Roman Roads Media taught by Wesley Callihan of Schola Classical Tutorials. The Ancient Use of the word “tyrant” and “despot.” Having trouble with the video above? Try the YouTube version. This lesson was on Sophocles’ Oedipus the King.

The Genealogy of Orestes, According to Aeschylus

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

We designed this genealogy for the Drama and Lyric unit of our Old Western Culture video course series. This will help students keep track of what is going on since so much of Aeschylus’ plays surround the lives of these men and women. We made it for our video course, but feel free to share it with homeschoolers and teachers for their own use! In fact, this would make a great printed bookmark for while you’re reading the plays!

Wesley Callihan on The Iliad | An Excerpt of "Old Western Culture" Video Course for the Homeschool

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

Wesley Callihan, author and course presenter of Old Western Culture: A Christian Approach to the Great Books, discusses The Iliad in this excerpt from the course. He talks about the various translations available, his favorite translation and why, and reads the first lines of The Iliad in the original Greek! Old Western Culture is a highschool video course for the homeschool. It is a “Great Books” oriented education which spans 4 years of instruction. Divided into 16 units, Old Western Culture can be used as the core of your homeschool curriculum (covering the Humanities), or as a supplement to another … Continue Reading “Wesley Callihan on The Iliad | An Excerpt of "Old Western Culture" Video Course for the Homeschool”

Should Pastors and Biblical Scholars Read the Great Books? Yes!

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

There are many good cases for classical education that emphasize the need to be well-rounded, a critical thinker, steeped in Western heritage, etc. But a sometimes overlooked benefit of classical education, and specifically a Great Books education, is the benefit that a biblical scholar or pastor receives from knowing the stories and literature of the Western world. St. Paul spoke to a largely Greek audience. A pastor who is oblivious to the stories and literature of the Western (and therefore Greek) tradition will miss some of the richness of the text. Hear Dr. Ben Merkle, of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho … Continue Reading “Should Pastors and Biblical Scholars Read the Great Books? Yes!”

Ask Mr. C: How has reading the Great Books affected you?

by Daniel Foucachon on Posted on

Introducing a NEW and FREE feature of Old Western Culture: A Christian Approach to the Great Books: Ask Mr. Callihan! One of the weak elements of a traditional video course is the inability to ask direct questions to the teacher. Not with Old Western Culture! Ask your questions, and we’ll try to get them answered on film for you and everyone else! They can be about the text, or about general things like “Why read old books?” These videos will be hosted on www.oldwesternculture.com (still under development). You can already ask questions by leaving a comment below. Enjoy, and ask … Continue Reading “Ask Mr. C: How has reading the Great Books affected you?”