Education and Schools Chronology: Ancient Civilizations

education and schools
Figure 1.--

Even within recorded history, few children attended schools of any kind. Information on ancient times is sketchy. With the agrcicultural revolution wtitibg developed as systems were needed to manage the expanding harvests and other production. Ans kills were needed to build and maintain canals. As a result, children had to be taught to read and wtite, basic numeracy, and other skills. This process began first in Mesopotamia, but occurred in the other great river valley civilizations--although information is limited, especially for the Indus Valley culture. At first professional scribes were needed as the first writing systems were complicated. Gradually simplier systems were develooped and larger numbers children could learn to read and writes. Even so, a relatively narrow part of societty were educated. The basic system in early civilizations was for a teacher to rent or otherwise obtain a room or set up in a park or square. This would be a school. This was normally done by individual teachers so they wwre not schools in the sence that a group of teachers taught children in age grouped classrooms. Parents who could afford it, sent their children there and paid a monthly fee. Most parents coild not afford to do so and thus the great mass of children began work at an early age rather than attend school. The Greeks developed a more organized system of education (about 500 BC). As far as we know, this was the world's first systematic approach to education. At least it is the first one that historians have so far found. This may be because we know so muvh more about Greece than other ancient civilizations except Rome. Boys of different ages were taught by different teachers. Greek schools (except in Sparta) were private, but fees were so low that even the poorest citizens (Not slaves) could afford to send their children, at least for a few years. This a substantial part of the male population was literate. Few girls attended school, although some were taught at home. There were some exceptions. Sappho appears to have run a school for girls. Plato and Aristotle founded the started the first advanced schools, the ancestors of modern universitiesb (4th century BC). The Romans looked down on the Greeks because they were not able to defend themselves, they admired Greek arts and education. Thus the Romans adopted Greek methods and curricula with few changes. The Roman state did not found schools. Romans sent their boys to private teachers. Even for Rome, the ancient civilization which we know most about, accounts vary. We do not know just how wide spread education was in Rome or what percentage of the population was literate. Some historians believe that education was fairly common, but actual evidence is limited. For advanced studies, the well-to-do might send their boys to Greece. The less civilzed people to the north like the Celts abd Romans were pre-literate and did not have schools.

Mesopotamia

Even within recorded history, few children attended schools of any kind. Information on ancient times is sketchy. With the agrcicultural revolution wtitibg developed as systems were needed to manage the expanding harvests and other production. Ans kills were needed to build and maintain canals. As a result, children had to be taught to read and wtite, basic numeracy, and other skills. This process began first in Mesopotamia, but occurred in the other great river valley civilizations. At first professional scribes were needed as the first writing systems were complicated. Gradually simplier systems were develooped and larger numbers children could learn to read and writes. Even so, a relatively narrow part of societty were educated. The basic system in early civilizations was for a teacher to rent or otherwise obtain a room or set up in a park or square. This would be a school. This was normally done by individual teachers so they wwre not schools in the sence that a group of teachers taught children in age grouped classrooms. Parents who could afford it, sent their children there and paid a monthly fee. Most parents coild not afford to do so and thus the great mass of children began work at an early age rather than attend school.

Egypt

Few children went to school in Egypt. Most boys followed their father's roles. As most Egyptians tilled the land, most boys became farmers, learning skills by working along side their fathers in the fields. The much smaller number of craftmen similaly learned their crafts at their fathers' sides. In Egypt's strictly statified society, most boys pursued the occupation of their fathers and women stayed at home to maintain the houshold. Government offices were also often passed from father to son. There were some schools in ancient Egypt, but only a few and very small number of children attended them. All the pupils were boys, mostly boys from the families of scribes and priests. In these schools boys learned to read and writes to become scribes and priests. The boys chosen were normally the sons of scribes and priests. Discipline was strict at these schools. An Egyptian school master explained that his approach to teaching, "The ear of a boy is on his back. He listens when he is beaten." [Stewart, p. 82.] I'm less sure about upper-class boys being trained to become warriors. The children of nobels were schooled at home by tutors, normally slaves.

Indus River Culture

Of the great river valley civilizations, the one we know least about is the the Indus Valley culture. As they were a literate, agricultural civilization, there must have been schools of some sort. Unfortunately, as far as we know nothing is known about education. We suspect that the general pattern prevailong in Mesopotamia prevailed in the Indus Valley, but that is just a guess.

China

Most boys in ancient China as in the West never attended school, but worked in the fields like their fathers. Boys from affluent, but not necesarily rich families might attend a school. Schools were mostly in cities, but towns and even larger villages might have a school of some sort. The Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) introduced tuition free schools paid for by the state. Attendance was still very limited. The schools prepared boys to take an imperial test--essentially a civil service examination. It was a very modern concept. Government positions were awarded on merit, how high the voy scored, not on ancestry. Schools varied, but boys commonly began to study about age 6 years. Primary schools were generally small, often set up in temples. Attendance was daily without weekend breaks. The school day was long, commonly from early in the moning (about 6:00 am) to the afternoon (about 4:00 pm). The teacher sat at the front of the class in a chair. His pupils had stools. The curriculuum consisted of reading abnd writing, but the focus was Confucian philosophy. Boys memorized long texts and wrote essays and poetry. Painting and caligrophy was also important. Math and science were not included in the curriculum. Especially clever boys vied to pass a special test to get into special programs. Most boys stayed at the same school until about age 16-17 years and took the first examination. The spread of Buddhism meant new schools were opened in China (about 500 AD). Boys in Buddhist monasteries also learned to read and write, that Buddhist people were starting. Here children also learned how to read and write, but there were no lessons in painting or poetry. The focus on Confucian philosophy was replaced with Buddhist theology.

Persia


Greece

The Greeks developed a more organized system of education (about 500 BC). As far as we know, this was the world's first systematic approach to education. At least it is the first one that historians have so far found. This may be because we know so muvh more about Greece than other ancient civilizations except Rome. Boys of different ages were taught by different teachers. Greek schools (except in Sparta) were private, but fees were so low that even the poorest citizens (Not slaves) could afford to send their children, at least for a few years. This a substantial part of the male population was literate. Few girls attended school, although some were taught at home. There were some exceptions. Sappho appears to have run a school for girls. Plato and Aristotle founded the started the first advanced schools, the ancestors of modern universitiesb (4th century BC).

Rome

The Romans looked down on the Greeks because they were not able to defend themselves, they admired Greek arts and education. Thus the Romans adopted Greek methods and curricula with few changes. The Roman state did not found schools. Romans sent their boys to private teachers. Even for Rome, the ancient civilization which we know most about, accounts vary. We do not know just how wide spread education was in Rome or what percentage of the population was literate. Some historians believe that education was fairly common, but actual evidence is limited. For advanced studies, the well-to-do might send their boys to Greece. The less civilzed people to the north like the Celts abd Romans were pre-literate and did not have schools.

Byzantium

We have been unable to find much information on Byzantine education. We know that Byzantium education stressed an understanding of classical Greek literature. Only boys attended schools, but girls from arisocratic or wealthy families were tutored at home. Important subjects were literature, history, composition, and philosophy. The Church assumed conrol of education in Byzabtium from an early phase. The Church organized and financed the the education system. School was not compulsory in Byzantium, but many children did attend school, especially primary school. Boys began school at age 7. Primary school was called 'holy letters" and was a 3 year program. The program concebtrated on reading and the texts studied were primarily religious texts, especially the Bible (Old and New Testaments), Psalter and other works. The children learned the alphabet, spelling, reading and writing. Schools were initially taught in Latin, byt by the 7th century Greek had become the commonly spoke language. Other subjects were music and history. The teachers were mostly monks. Churches and monasteries provided the facilities. Wealthy parents hired tutors ( Paidagogos ) to teach their children at home. Children began secondary school at age 10 and the program lasted 4-5 years. It was here that the children began studying classsical Greek literature at the ancient Greek language. Other important subjects were history, physics, music, geometry, astronomy and notation. The teachers were trained orators, philosophers, grammarians, and mathematicians at schools supervised by the Church. Only at the tertiary level did the Byantine state take control over education. Emperor Theodosios II founded the University of Constantinople (425). The University offered training in ancient Greek language and literature, Latin literature, oratory, philosophy and law and gradually the "new" sciences (medicine and math) were added to the curriculum. Universities and other important schools were also founded and supervised by the imperial government at Alexandria, Athens, Beirut, Nikaia, Salonica, and other important Byzantine cities.

Sources

Stewart, Doug. "Eternal Egypt," Smithsonian, date missing, pp. 74-84.







HBC





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Created: 8:14 PM 11/9/2010
Last updated: 8:14 PM 11/9/2010