The education of children and youth in ancient greece

ABSTRACTFrom oldest times of Ancient Greeks, to their fall, sports and music had been the most important elements of their education model. They thought they could reach perfection and ideal by teaching music and sports together to the children. For this reason the reforms after 5th century B.C. that improved education system, were observant of custom.Sports and music education was given in schools named as ?gymnasium? and it was a luxury which was only provided to rich families. As the time passed, these schools became inadequate and they were developed. Especially the adoption and spread of Phoenician alphabet became efficient in this development.In Ancient Greeks education system, two city-states attract attention by their education models which were designed in harmony with their political systems and way of life. The first one is Athens and the other one is Sparta. These systems were very different from each other and they set an example for other city-states. Among them Spartans education system which was based on military training, was less popular then Athens science based education system, and fall behind.By the time of philosophers, scientific researches became widespread but the access of education by larger masses expanded in times of sophists in 5th century B.C. In this revolutionary era, after Greek colonies increased, with the information taken from other cultures from these colonies, a thinking environment occurred. In this environment, interest on nature shifted to human and so the education became more widespread than it had ever been.Sophist?s revolution in education is followed by Socrates and his successors Plato and Aristotle.By giving much importance to philosophy than sophists, they tried to site education on a philosophical basis. The schools opened in this period, aroused interest in Greek world and these three intellectuals? students? schools followed their processors? ones.In Hellenistic Era, these schools continued their existence, on the other hand, education became more widespread and the interest on education raised.By the time Roman Empire took Greece under its control, though Romans hesitated about taking this new culture and refused it, afterwards this resistance was broken and Greek philosophical ideas and education system got in Roman world.