Education in Ancient Greece
Education in Ancient Sparta and Ancient Athens was very different, yet the other cities adopted either the Athenian way of teaching or the Spartan.
Athens:
In ancient Athens the purpose of education was to produce citizens trained in the arts, and to prepare their citizens for both times of peace and war.
Until age 6-7yrs, boys were taught by a male slave or by their mother. From age 7-14yrs, the boys went to a neighboring primary school or a private school. Books were very expensive. The lessons were read aloud, and the boys had to memorise everything. To help them learn, they would have used writing tablets or rulers. In primary school the boys were taught the words of Homer (a famous poet) and how to play the lyre. The teachers in Ancient Greece were always men, and were allowed to pick which additional subjects he wanted to teach. Some may have chosen to teach drama, public speaking, government, art, reading, writing, math or how to play the flute.
After completing primary school, the boys attended a higher school for 4 more years. When they turned 18 they attended military school for 2 additional years, to train them for their years to come. At age 20, they graduated.
Girls were not educated at school, but most learned how to read and write at home in their own court yard.
Until age 6-7yrs, boys were taught by a male slave or by their mother. From age 7-14yrs, the boys went to a neighboring primary school or a private school. Books were very expensive. The lessons were read aloud, and the boys had to memorise everything. To help them learn, they would have used writing tablets or rulers. In primary school the boys were taught the words of Homer (a famous poet) and how to play the lyre. The teachers in Ancient Greece were always men, and were allowed to pick which additional subjects he wanted to teach. Some may have chosen to teach drama, public speaking, government, art, reading, writing, math or how to play the flute.
After completing primary school, the boys attended a higher school for 4 more years. When they turned 18 they attended military school for 2 additional years, to train them for their years to come. At age 20, they graduated.
Girls were not educated at school, but most learned how to read and write at home in their own court yard.
Sparta:
In Ancient Sparta, the purpose of education was to produce a well drilled, well disciplined marching army.
Spartans believed in a life of discipline, self denial and simplicity. They were only loyal to the polis of Sparta. Everybody in ancient Sparta was required to have a perfect body.
When babies were born in Ancient Sparta, Spartans Soldiers would come to the house to inspect the baby. If the baby is not healthy it will be sold as a slave or left on a hillside to die in the hot sun. Babies who passed this test were assigned to a Brotherhood or to a Sisterhood (usually the one their mother or father came from).
Spartan Boys:
Spartan boys were sent to Military School at age 6 or 7yrs. They lived, slept and trained in the barracks of their brotherhood. They were taught survival skills and other skills necessary to become a great soldier. School courses were often hard and very painful.
Although students were taught to read and write, those skills were not very important to the Ancient Spartans, only warfare mattered. The boys were not fed well, and were told that it was fine to steal food, as long as they did not get caught. If they were caught they were beaten. The boys marched without shoes to make them stronger. It was a brutal training period.
Somewhere between the age of 18 - 20yrs, Spartan males had to pass a difficult test of fitness, Military ability and leadership skills.
Any who did not pass these examinations became a perioikos (the perioikos, or the middle class were allowed to own property and have business dealings, but had no political rights, and were not classed as citizens).
If they passed, they became a full citizen and a Spartan Soldier. Spartan citizens were not allowed to touch money. That was the job of the Middle class. Spartan Soldiers spent most of their lives with fellow soldiers. They ate, slept and continued to train in their brotherhood barracks. Even if they were married, they did not live with their wives and family. They lived in the barracks. Military service did not end until a Spartan male had reached the age of 60yrs. At age 60, a Spartan Soldier could retire and live in their home with their family.
Spartan Girls
In Sparta, girls also went to school at age 6 - 7yrs. They lived in their Sisterhood barracks. No-one knows if the Sisterhoods were as rugged and cruel as the Brotherhoods, but the girls were taught wrestling, gymnastics and combat skills. Some historians believe that the 2 schools were very similar, and that an attempt was made to train the girls as thoroughly as they trained the boys. In any case, the Spartans believed that strong young women would produce strong babies.
At age 18yrs, if a Spartan girl passed her skills and fitness tests, she would be assigned a husband, and be allowed to return home. If she failed, she would lose her rights as a citizen and become a perioikos, a member of the Middle class.
In most of the other Greek city-states, the women were required to stay in their home for most of their lives. They could not go anywhere or do anything without their husband's permission. They could not even visit a woman who lived next door as they had no freedom. In Sparta, things were different for women who were citizens. They were free to move around and visit neighbours without permission, as their husbands were at their barracks the majority of the time.
Spartans believed in a life of discipline, self denial and simplicity. They were only loyal to the polis of Sparta. Everybody in ancient Sparta was required to have a perfect body.
When babies were born in Ancient Sparta, Spartans Soldiers would come to the house to inspect the baby. If the baby is not healthy it will be sold as a slave or left on a hillside to die in the hot sun. Babies who passed this test were assigned to a Brotherhood or to a Sisterhood (usually the one their mother or father came from).
Spartan Boys:
Spartan boys were sent to Military School at age 6 or 7yrs. They lived, slept and trained in the barracks of their brotherhood. They were taught survival skills and other skills necessary to become a great soldier. School courses were often hard and very painful.
Although students were taught to read and write, those skills were not very important to the Ancient Spartans, only warfare mattered. The boys were not fed well, and were told that it was fine to steal food, as long as they did not get caught. If they were caught they were beaten. The boys marched without shoes to make them stronger. It was a brutal training period.
Somewhere between the age of 18 - 20yrs, Spartan males had to pass a difficult test of fitness, Military ability and leadership skills.
Any who did not pass these examinations became a perioikos (the perioikos, or the middle class were allowed to own property and have business dealings, but had no political rights, and were not classed as citizens).
If they passed, they became a full citizen and a Spartan Soldier. Spartan citizens were not allowed to touch money. That was the job of the Middle class. Spartan Soldiers spent most of their lives with fellow soldiers. They ate, slept and continued to train in their brotherhood barracks. Even if they were married, they did not live with their wives and family. They lived in the barracks. Military service did not end until a Spartan male had reached the age of 60yrs. At age 60, a Spartan Soldier could retire and live in their home with their family.
Spartan Girls
In Sparta, girls also went to school at age 6 - 7yrs. They lived in their Sisterhood barracks. No-one knows if the Sisterhoods were as rugged and cruel as the Brotherhoods, but the girls were taught wrestling, gymnastics and combat skills. Some historians believe that the 2 schools were very similar, and that an attempt was made to train the girls as thoroughly as they trained the boys. In any case, the Spartans believed that strong young women would produce strong babies.
At age 18yrs, if a Spartan girl passed her skills and fitness tests, she would be assigned a husband, and be allowed to return home. If she failed, she would lose her rights as a citizen and become a perioikos, a member of the Middle class.
In most of the other Greek city-states, the women were required to stay in their home for most of their lives. They could not go anywhere or do anything without their husband's permission. They could not even visit a woman who lived next door as they had no freedom. In Sparta, things were different for women who were citizens. They were free to move around and visit neighbours without permission, as their husbands were at their barracks the majority of the time.