Mike Farris:
Christian archaeologists and homeschooling parents Regan and Amy Barr join me this week on Home School Heartbeat. We’re going to talk about some fun and unconventional ways to teach history through archaeology. Regan, it’s great to have you on the program.

Regan Barr:
Glad to be here, Mike.

Mike:
Why are Greek and Roman history important in today’s world?

Regan:
Well, Mike, the Greek and Roman cultures are foundational to Western civilization. You see it in medicine, art, drama, mathematics, politics—everywhere. If you look at our Capitol and the civic buildings across America, it’s all Greco-Roman architecture. And our Founding Fathers looked back at Greek democracy and Roman republicanism as they fashioned our system of government.

But Greek and Roman culture also provide context for the New Testament. Jesus was executed by crucifixion, not stoning, because Judea was a Roman province; and Paul wrote in Greek because of Alexander the Great, and his Roman citizenship was a valuable asset on his missionary journeys.

Greece and Rome are so important that we believe they should be included in the high school years. Modern society and philosophical discussions have been profoundly shaped by the debates in the Athenian agora and the Roman forum and by ancient writers like Plato and Cicero.

Mike:
Thank you so much, Regan. Next time, we’ll talk about studying archaeology from a biblical perspective. I’m Mike Farris.