55 Ancient Greek Education Facts. Find Out What They Did In Schools

Ancient Greece education began in the fifth century BC and was generally of two types - formal and informal. 

The education acquired from public school was formal Greek education. The informal was attained by hiring a private tutor for the children and young people.

Greece has given us great theories, discoveries, and inventions by brilliant philosophers and thinkers. Their way of thinking and philosophy, their stories, poetry, writing, and everything else have together left a great impact on the education system.

Greek schools did not have any specific names. Physical training or gymnasium was one of the essential parts of the ancient Greek education system. And a wooden pen was used to write in ancient Greece.

If you are quite interested in knowing what boys learned or what actually was ancient Greek education, then this article might surely sound interesting to you. Check out ancient Greek entertainment facts and ancient Greek civilization facts as well.

Fun Facts About Ancient Greek Education

The form of studies in ancient Greece that Greek children used to go through was quite unique.

As no girls were allowed, the young men who used to go to schools must have felt like young children today would feel like when going to a military school. The studies were carried out on wooden boards, and books were not used to teach children or any young man. 

Only the boys from the affluent families of Athens were sent to attend the school; it can be called a tertiary education for the young boys. Young women or girls were not supported to study during the ancient Greek period because girls' education was not a matter of concern.

In fact, girls had their own school at home, where they were taught all the domestic chores. In the ancient Greek education system, the boys had to start attending wrestling school as a part of their education.

As an exception, spartan boys started studying at the age of six during ancient Greek times, and Spartan girls were taught to be warriors.  

Facts About Ancient Greek Education Curriculum

The education curriculum of the ancient Greek period was primarily focused on elementary education in poetry, philosophy, physical training, music, and mandatory military training for about three years.

There was additional mathematical and science training that young boys had to go for, and it was added to by five years of dialect training and fifteen years of political and practical training. 

All Greek historian personalities who are known today for their works also studied this ancient Greek curriculum. Ancient Greece's education curriculum also included teaching daily life chores to women or girls.

Greeks (except the Spartans) did not favor physical education for girls because it could lead them to become strong women and superior to men. Girls were given the minimum amount of education in Greece.

In short, we can say that the Greece education curriculum was quite biased towards boys. Also, only the elite class families could afford to make it through.

Facts About Extracurricular Activities in Ancient Greek

The ancient education system of Greeks actually provided the option of including extracurricular activities into the education pattern.

The idea of making a balance between the mental and physical health of the children was brought by the ancient Greece education system only. This was one of the reasons why physical education and military training were a crucial part of the education system during that period. 

According to Athens' study pattern, mental fitness was an equally important subject to learn as physical fitness. Activities like gymnasium, mousike or music, and mythological studies were quite favored. Although they did not call all these things extracurricular activities during that time as they are in the present education system.

Students used to learn a musical instrument, different sports, and at the same time, they also learned intellectual things. Also, when it came to studies of the Spartan women, their education was more into physical activities because they were taught to become soldiers.

However, the young girls were also taught singing, dancing, playing musical instruments as part of the Spartan education system.

More Facts About the Ancient Greek Education System

Education in ancient Greeks had only a single motive that was to make good citizens. The children studied music, art, science, literature, and politics along with physical training for overall development. 

Only boys went to school after they turned six, but girls were not allowed the same. The education system of Spartans was completely different as it was more focused on battles and wars.

Spartan girls were sent to school to become warriors as they believed only strong women could produce strong babies and could defend the city if the men were away at a war site.

Ancient Greeks surely loved to learn and also loved writing, and there was no limitation to that. They actually found going to school as a chance to improve their mental capability and didn’t find it as a chore to complete as a child in present-day life thinks. 

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 55 ancient Greece education facts: find out what they did in schools then why not take a look at ancient Greek literature facts, or ancient Greek sculpture facts.