Take a guided tour through Rome and Egypt by way of Headmaster Galahad and the acclaimed Horrible Histories series: a fun and accessible introduction to wicked, weird and woeful events of the ancient world. Our end goal? To instill an unbridled love of history and the desire to go forward and explore in-depth even more world events, Horrible and otherwise. In and outside the webinars, this class will focus on the stories of the people of these ancient empires, while also beginning to introduce critical thinking skills and primary source analysis in supplement to the Horrible Histories.
This course covers:
- The Roman Kingdom, Republic and Principate
- The Egyptian Kingdoms
- Spartacus and Slave Revolts in the Roman Republic
- Julius Caesar and the Fall of the Republic
- Boudica and Her Uprising
- Cleopatra and the End of Independent Egypt
This is a semester-long, early middle school course. Weekly webinars are 50 minutes long. Recordings are available for students who must miss a session.
Links to Required Books (roughly in reading order, though we bounce around a bit):
- Horrible Histories: Awesome Egyptians
- Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians
- Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans
- Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans
Links to OPTIONAL Books (roughly in reading order, though we bounce around a bit):
- Horribly Famous (or Dead Famous): Julius Caesar and his Foul Friends
- Horribly Famous (or Dead Famous): Cleopatra and her Angry Asp
- Horribly Famous (or Dead Famous): Spartacus and his Glorious Gladiators
- Horribly Famous (or Dead Famous): Boudica and her Barmy Army
The optional books can usually be found used + shipping for seven or so dollars on Amazon. We do not recommend paying more than that. The topics covered in these books are supplemented with videos and online readings if learners do not have the books.
The best source for Horrible Books in the United States is Horrible Ray in California. Some books may also be available at your local library. Any edition is acceptable, so if you find an inexpensive used copy, feel free to purchase. Reading assignments are posted by section, not page number.