Ander Gustafson discusses how he Got Into Ancient History, and the missed potential of historical education. 

By Simeon Swaby

WASHINGTON D.C – Ander Gustafson is an Ancient History buff at heart. If it’s older than most modern day states, and has emerged somewhere around the Mediterranean, he’s got you covered.  He especially enjoys history involving major wars and battles from thousands of years ago. Everything from the Battle of Kadesh, between Bronze Age superpowers such as Egypt and the Hittite Empire, to conflicts like the famous Battle of Marathon between Greece and Persia; he’s studied them all. “I really like this period of history because it’s very diverse, even when you think it wouldn’t be,” he says. Ander’s loves of ancient history shines in the way he gets lost in the intricacies of cultural transformation and ancient politics. His passion stands in stark contrast with the popular consensus that ancient history is at best, a fun but fruitless exercise, and at worse, a distraction from the more important issues of the day. But is it true what they say about ancient history? Or are most simply getting the wrong idea? 

Ander’s passion for ancient history stem from his father’s own love of the subject. As a matter of fact, his father loved classical history so much, he sought to become a history professor himself. After working in government for a brief period, Erick Gustafson got the funds to be able to attend graduate school to acquire a degree to teach history. “His history professor in college told him to always study the classics, and that it’ll take him far,” says Ander speaking to how his father got into ancient history. From that point on, Ander’s father would instill the same passion he had for the subject in his son. However, Ander says he truly got into ancient history  with an old tv show called Decisive Battles of Ancient History, which aired on the History Channel. Not only did the program showcase the intricacies of some of the ancient world’s largest battles, but it also used footage from the real-time strategy video game, Rome: Total War, to present some of these battles on an epic-scale. “It wasn’t really well-done, but it was still my favorite thing to watch because I was a kid.” Ander’s love for ancient history grew from there on. He delved extensively into the background of civilizations such as Rome, Persia, and Egypt; especially when it came to the countless military campaigns these societies participated in. He’s played games based on these historical moments, like the before mentioned Total War series. He’s learned about ancient politics, about the conquests of Alexander the Great, and even has some knowledge about the movement of certain hellinistic groups, and how they would go on to develop new cultures.  

And not only has Ander studied these Ancient places, he’s been to them in real life.  He’s travelled to places such as Rome, Egypt, Germany, and has even visited some ruins in Portugal and Jordan. Ever wonder how they built that amazing set from that one Indiana Jones movie. It turns out that scene was filmed at the real life ruins of Al-Khazneh in Jordan. “And that’s just one façade out of many in the city of Petra,” he says. In Egypt, Ander has been inside the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx which brought him more closer to the history. He’s even found a few historical artifacts on his travels. While out at the ruins of Ancient Petra, the Gustafsons realized that there were plenty of pottery shards scattered across the site. Eventually, after digging through the sand, Ander uncovered a few pieces of pottery and identified them thereafter. “Inside the pottery itself, there’s a black line—that means it’s from Roman times,” he states. The material the Romans used to make the pottery was much cheaper than older civilizations; which explains the black dents hidden on the inside.      

Ander’s travels have taken him to countless locations across the world, giving him a diverse perspective on things. One such occasion was when he visited Ethiopia in the fifth grade. He was being driven through a crowded market in a village. From inside, he could see the people of the village going about their day, carrying bags of food as well as other belongings. Sounds of people shouting, crying, and laughing could be heard throughout the village. It was a big commotion, almost like the village was alive itself. And at that moment, Ander realized there was this entire world beyond the one he knew. “This sounds super cliché,” Ander says, “but it made me realize that it doesn’t really take having a lot of things to make you happy.” What Ander says here not only has some application to the current world we live in, but also in the multiple worlds that have existed throughout history. The people who lived thousands of years in the past didn’t have much compared to the advances in technology and quality of life we have today; but despite this, they still built great structures to beloved deities, and created countless thought-provoking works of art. Ander’s many travels show that there can be more to learn from one’s own personal experience with history, than what you may get in a more traditional environment. 

Although Ander has had many memorable experiences that have given him a breadth of knowledge on Ancient History, it’s rare to find many instances that were the direct result traditional education. Even his specific passion of Ancient Military History was sparked mostly from outside influences, like tv shows or video games. “Most of my favorite moments learning history have been outside 0f school. I would tend to agree that a lot of institutions make history more boring than it is.” Ander continues, “Personally, I think history should be the coolest class because you’re learning about stories from the past to see how they connect to the present.”   Ander makes an interesting observation. History courses can do more for their students than simply being outlets for a factual reading of history. His observation might also explain why many find Ancient History to be not worthy of their time. After all, if most are exposed to history through uninteresting classes, then it’s no wonder why many find the concept itself to be bland or uninteresting. The question now should be how to change the paradigm, and make learning Ancient History more interesting and meaningful. 

“A lot of people believe Ancient History isn’t as important, cause they think, ‘how much more can you learn about the past?’” He continues, “but I don’t think it’s always about learning new information. It can also be about interpreting what’s relevant to today.” There’s no doubting the important role history plays in our everyday lives. Our society is constantly being molded by the people, places, and events that took place in the past. And while most understand this, oftentimes, we forego using that fact for our own benefit.  Ander’s deep knowledge of Ancient History not only allows him to express his own interests, but allows him to connect with the world in his own way. As more schools rethink of ways to teach their students, it’ll be important for teachers and administrators alike to re-examine how Ancient History is taught; to make it more meaningful for a future generation.  “Learning for yourself is the best way to learn in my opinion,” Ander states. “You should be able to find something cool by yourself, and it’ll stick more because you found it on your own.”