The concept of disability and education of disabled individuals in Ancient Greece

This thesis examines the concept of disability in Ancient Greece within the framework of the Archaic (c. 750–480 BCE), Classical (480–323 BCE), and Hellenistic (323–31 BCE) periods, focusing on the approaches to the education of individuals with disabilities during these eras. Ancient Greek geography encompasses the territories of modern Greece and the communities along the western coast of Anatolia. The Ancient Age is considered not only a period in which the foundations of Western thought were laid, but also a ground on which normative judgments about the human body, soul, and social function were shaped. In this context, the concept of the 'ideal individual' based on the unity of body and soul positioned disability as a physical and symbolic deficiency or inadequacy. The study reveals that in ancient Greek societies, an individual's value was determined by physical fitness, mental virtue, and social contribution; within this normative structure, disabled individuals were often excluded or neglected. The child rearing and education approaches of different polis or city-states such as Athens and Sparta were comparatively analyzed, and the educational and social positions of disabled individuals within these structures were evaluated. Furthermore, the conceptual world of disability is analyzed through mythological narratives, philosophical texts, and medical and religious approaches. This thesis provides a comprehensive examination of the social roles of people with disabilities, their place in the family, their civil rights and educational opportunities, while critically questioning the historical construction of exclusionary practices in antiquity. At the same time, it aims to contribute to the intellectual background of a more inclusive understanding of education by providing a historical perspective on contemporary disability debates.