Early_Greek_and_Roman_Education

Ancient Greece is where the foundations of western civilizations arose. Both education and daily life were very different in Sparta, than in Athens or in the other ancient Greek city-states. The Athens and the Sparta became the greatest naval powers of Greece that time and developed all domains of culture, including philosophy, music, drama, rhetorics and a new regime, democracy. These fields continue to influence the world today. The Spartan education aimed for military skills, loyal soldiers and discipline among its people as they should be invisible in war. Methods of education was training and participation. During stern disciplinary training, food was scarce hence theft was not a crime until caught. Consequently, a Sparta will be harshly punished. There were rivalry, imitation of eminent men and great deeds to motivate the Spartans. There was patriotism through music education. The desire to have a skilled citizen in the war is beneficial for a country. Yet, I would rather think that a country could have a person with interrelation skills who shall be an emissary for peace talks. Somehow, living in the old days is far more difficult than today. Today is the result of the continuing pursuit of the ancient and later civilizations for a revolutionized states. The Athenian education centered on building good citizenship where individual excellence in wisdom, beauty, and strength for public usefulness were of great importance. Ancient Athens was the leading cultural center of the Greek world. Many philosophers, writers, orators, architects, and the list could go on, that Athenian education created. Athens practiced democracy in developing all human capacities. I believe in democracy. It is essential in developing the various facets that an individual may have. Ancient Roman education was utilitarian, not theory but application and practice. They emphasized a practical training for military life and citizenship. After awhile, they were influenced by Greeks and began formal schooling. Moral and religious training were tied up with civic training. Vocational training for livelihood was also important for the Romans. Their methods of instruction were direct imitation, memorization, and discipline. I consider practical application should supplement theories that were learnt prior to utilization. What have you studied in books shall be well exercised through hands-on. According to the ancient Roman culture, a child's education, physical and moral, began at home under the strict supervision of his or her parents. The ancient Roman education aimed at transforming a child into a strong, healthy, religious and responsible citizen. Education imparted to a child taught him the laws of obedience, modesty of speech, intelligence and self-reliance. the girls were trained by their mothers to cook, spin and weave. A girl child was also taught how to read and write. While a boy was taught by his father to plow, sow seeds in the fields and also to reap the crop at the time of harvest. As a parent, I consider these trainings as essential in rearing your child. A home is the first agency of education where you can teach your children as early as babyhood. Later Roman education is oratorical. The educated man must have the moral character, broad knowledge, and ability to speak. Civil training is of great importance as well as speech training. Methods of instruction were memorization, drill and writing exercises and public speaking practices. Greek thinkers set the fundamentals in seeking rational explanations for the things that were happening around and outside the earth. The Athens aim for a perfect man for public use. The later Romans introduced the concepts of educational ladder that we somehow follow today.