THE ROMAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

If the Greek were an idealistic and liberal people, the Romans were a pragmatic and progressive lot.

The Romans did not excel in warfare and politics but also in the fields of education and sciences.

• If the Spartans destroyed the family, the Romans, like the Athenians, considered it the basic social institutions that gives the child his/her first taste of education.

• In Roman society, the mother occupied a position equal to that of the father: the mother was treated with the same respect and dignity as the father.

The development of the Roman educational system took place in two great divisions.

• Early Roman Education • Greek Influence on Roman

Education

EARLY ROMAN EDUCATION753B.C - 250 B.C

The first period of Roman education coincided with the founding of the city of Rome.

Education was carried out largely in the home and schooling was purely through apprenticeship and hands-on training.

Father taught his sons the duties, rights, and obligations of a manMother trained her daughters to carry out their household chores and religious duties

Education during this period was characterized as being largely moral while discipline was rigorous and severe. Studies centered on politics, the law, and oratory.

Children were required to study and learn by heart the fundamental laws of the country as embodied in the Laws of the Twelve Tables.

These laws dealt with a citizen’s civil, religious, political, and military obligations.

They constituted the framework of Romans society and embodied the Roman ideals of life that gave education its concrete ends.

The end of this period, the ludus—a primary school—arose. Majority of Romans sent their young boys to this school to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Greek Influence on Roman Education250B.C- 146 B.C.

The second period was marked by the start of the Roman’s contact with Greek civilization.

Livius Andronicus (285-204 B.C.), a Greek slave from Southern Italy, translated the Odyssey of Homer into latin.

Roman boys used this work as a textbook in reading and literature.

Greek teachers opened private schools attended only by a few children of the elite class.

Romans finally conquered Greece, they robbed Greece of many of her treasured book and art masterpieces and brought them to Rome.

They even took Greek teachers as captives and forced them to teach the Roman students.

In this manner, the Greeks influenced the philosophy, literature, art, and even the religion of the Romans to some extent

At around 55B. C., Cicero, a prominent and influential Roman educator, published his book De Oratore in which he advocate the idea that the ability to speak and persuade people was a supreme importance in a public career and for leadership.

The Roman Republic was getting to be recognized as a mighty empire dominating the known world, the Roman educational system had become more organized and complete

This lasted until the close of the Imperial period (132 B.C.-A.D. 100) with very few modifications.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLThe school of literator, or teacher of letters, was a modification of the traditional ludus, from which Roman boys acquired their 3Rs under a paidagogus.

THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLThe grammar school became a definite educational institution with well-defined methods of teaching, a fixed curriculum, and public support.

Grammar was the chief subject of study, but other subjects included literature, language, oration, and declamation.

This school was two types: the teaching of Greek and Latin instruction.

Aim of school was to equip students with mastery of expression in reading, writing, and speaking, and prepare them for work in the rhetorical school

The teacher called, grammaticus, not only gave lectures: he also imposed severe discipline on errant and nonconformist students

Quintilian, one of the most influential grammaticus. Around A.D 93, he wrote Institution Oratoria, a book which combines discussions on educationwith a study on principles, scope, and style of oratory

THE RHETORICAL SCHOOL

• Unless a young boy belonged to a wealthy or patrician family or was destined for a career in government, his education was considered finished upon his completion of grammar school. Otherwise, he would enter the rhetorical school and stay there for two or three years depending upon his ability, intelligence, and interests.

• The rhetorical school prepared young boys for public service. The training was rigorous and effective and devoted to the art of speaking-rhetoric, declamation, and debate.

The Roman emperors exerted much effort and spent a considerable amount from the imperial treasury to propagate the education of their constituents.The most notable were: Vespasian (A.D.69-79), who founded the Roman library in the Temple of Peace and the University of Rome;Trajan (A.D. 98-117), who awarded scholarships to poor but deserving youthHadrian( A.D. 117-138) who provided retired teachers with pensions and gave more attention to law and medicine than philosophy

Antoninus Pius (A.D. 138-161), who exempted all Roman teachers from taxation and military services to allow them to devote more time and attention to education.Emperor Constatntine (A.D. 306-337), continued what his predecessors had started.Julian the Apostate (A.D. 361-363), teacher were required to be licensed; they had to be certified.

Emperor Gratian (A.D. 367-383), all schools were subsidized and supported by public funds.Theodosius (A.D. 383-395), who considered the establishment of private schools a grave crime punishable by law.

The glory of ancient Roman education started to diminish by A.D. 400. Schools no longer taught philosophy; very few of them taught law.

HUMANISM

The term humanism is derived from studia humanitatis which means ‘studies of humanity’. The humanistic movement started in the early part of the 14th century during the Renaissance, when there was a revived interest in the importance of a person—his/her facilities, aspirations, affairs and well-being.

The period was marked by a revival of the classical influence of the Romans and Greeks as expressed in the flowering of the arts and literature as well as the beginnings of modern science.The humanists’ concept of liberal education was not much different from that of educators during the medieval times. To the seven liberal arts (grammar, rhetoric, logic, geometry, arithmetic, music, and astronomy), however, they added history and physical games and exercises.

Humanism in Italy The type of humanism which prevailed in Italy around 1333 and lasted for about a century was also known as individualistic humanism. It stressed the freedom of an individual as a basic means in the achievement of a rich and fulfilled life.Among the popular humanists at this time were:Dante Aligieri, author of the Divine ComedyFrancesco Patrarca, a prolific writer and progressive thinkerVittorino Da Feltre, scholar and educator. He administered Casa Giocasa (Happy House), a court school founded by the Prince of Mantua

Humanism in Northern Europe

While humanism was rapidly taking root in Italy; an organization of pious and socially-minded men known as the Brethren of the Common Life, or Hieronymians, was facilitating the spread of the humanistic spirit in northern Europe.

Desiderius Erasmus (1467 A.D.-1536) from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. He became a teacher in Greek and Latin at Campbridge University, and also in universities in Italy France, and Germany. He published the New Testament in Greek, and later translated it into Latin. He was known for his educational works Liberal Education of Children and On the Order of Study where he advocated the importance of studying the character of the child—using play and games in the teaching-learning process-and his opposition to the use of harsh and brutal discipline.

Johann Sturnn (1507-1589) of Strassburg in Germany. He was the founder of the gymnasium, a school attended by a large number of students, mostly from noble families.

In England, humanism was received with enthusiasm.Roger Ascham (1515-1568) spearheaded this awakening of the English people. He wrote the book, The Schoolmaster which was published in 1571 after his death. In this book he condemned brutal corporal punishment and other “inhumane” practices prevalent in English schools of those days.

Ciceronianism is considered as humanistic education at its worst.The Ciceronians argued that the aim of education was to impart in the student a perfect Latin style. Cicero, noted Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, and writer, was the admitted master of this style.Ciceronian phrase, a style of speaking and writing that is characteristically Cicero’s.