Reflections #15

According to the passage about Early Roman Education, the most accurate form of education for children around the time of 735 BC was rudimentary education. Rudimentary education in Rome consisted of the teachings of agriculture, military skills, and moral and civil responsibilities upon Roman citizenry. These lessons were taught by the children's parents. Free public schools did not exist in Ancient Rome at this time. At about half way through the third century, an ex- slave by the name of Spurius Carvilius formed the first fee paying school called Ludus in Ancient Rome. Ludus in English means play. Of course this type of schooling most likely benefited the wealthy children as appose to the poor children who could not afford to pay school fees. Although the poor still had basic training in reading and writing, schools in Ancient Rome were only for boys. The Roman children would carry over their shoulders their school bags with their school supplies and their school fee payments. Roman children attended school at a very early age. The Roman instructors, also known as the Quintilian felt that children memories are very retentive at a young age. I totally agree with this Quintilian when he says that children retain information better when they are taught at a young age, it's just like saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It's easier to train them when they are still puppies. Ancient Athenians focused on literacy music and physical education. Athenians considered these methods of teaching much more than the Romans. In Athens, school was also only for the boys but the girls did have a form of education, it just was not formal education as so did the boys. Many of the Athenian girls did learn how to read and write by their parents Education in Athens was affordable for everyone, even the poor. Education in Rome was very strict as to where the child would be beaten if they did not retain the information given by their instructors as to where education in Athens was not so strict.