How advanced was the educational system in the ancient world?
A lot of people say the ancients were basically ignorant of science and only a few select persons had most of the knowledge.
In ancient Egypt, they must of needed engineers, architects, teachers, plumbers, merchants, ship makers, mathematicians, and everything else that builds a society. The same in Mesopotamian, ancient Greece, Rome and other ancient societies.
You must of had primary, secondary, universities, technical colleges and military academies. Therefore the population must have been educated rather than ignorant.
How else could you build a knowledge base to bring about the like of Thales, Pythagoras, Plato, Aristarchus, Hipparchus and Aristotle . These guys were the top of the game but must have been just the point of the apex.
the answer to your question is quite difficult. in the ancient world most people WERE ignorant. in rome and egypt most people where educated by tutors who werent even from the country. i know for a fact some of julius ceasars tutors were greek and some of alexander the greats tutors were egyptian. to be educated in those times you had to be wealthy or have had wealthy parents. then only the rich were clever. thats why the roman senate was the senate. because their parents where wealthy, had them educated in many subjects including oratory (public speaking) and then the young senators would have used all the skills they learnt to gain standing.
the spartans werent particularly well educated but their entire civilisation was basicaly a millitary academy.
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:40 am
The education was a very haphazard thing. Only the priveledged got a real education. The others learned by on the job training. The general population was too busy trying to live and survive to waste time in schools. There buildings and statues were built by slave labor with a few overseers. I agree with the first statement.
The school system you seem to favor is relatively new. Even in the 18th century in some AMerican colonies it was illegal for a woman to be educated. Check the biograpy of Franklin to verify this.
Public education in America is even a relatively new concept. In the 1800’s a child could only go to school if the parents paid and helped support the teacher. There was no public ed.
MOst of what you consider higher skills are actually learned skills. Remember, whether you believe in it or not, Jesus was apprenticed to his father, Joseph for many years.
Working next to a master was much better then going to a classroom.
As for military academies: Only the sons of rich people got to be officers and they too followed their fathers footsteps.
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September 22nd, 2009 at 4:03 am
You are assuming that because there were people with very high levels of education in various areas of knowledge that education was generally available to all people. You may also be assuming that high attainment in one area of knowledge or skill indicates a person also had knowledge in other areas. Friom my reading in ancient history, I believe both assumptions are wrong.
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September 22nd, 2009 at 4:30 am
the answer to your question is quite difficult. in the ancient world most people WERE ignorant. in rome and egypt most people where educated by tutors who werent even from the country. i know for a fact some of julius ceasars tutors were greek and some of alexander the greats tutors were egyptian. to be educated in those times you had to be wealthy or have had wealthy parents. then only the rich were clever. thats why the roman senate was the senate. because their parents where wealthy, had them educated in many subjects including oratory (public speaking) and then the young senators would have used all the skills they learnt to gain standing.
the spartans werent particularly well educated but their entire civilisation was basicaly a millitary academy.
References :
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:46 am
The ancient education system, like the modern one, was mostly for rich people’s children. Like now, the rich gave the kids tutors to a certain age, and then sent them (boys only!) to higher education centers, like Plato’s. It was only the richest people whom could read, surpassing most royals in that area!
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