PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

Roman Life – Education
In the early years of the Republic, boys were taught to
read, write and how to handle weapons by their
fathers. An educational system developed from the third
century BC with educated Greek slaves (pedagogues) or
freedmen as teachers. Girls did not attend schools for
many were legally married at 12. Their mothers trained
them at home to read and write and how to run a
household, though girls in some rich families were
taught by pedagogues. Girls began to attend schools in
the later years of the Republic. After the reign of the
emperor Augustus, the position of women in Rome’s
society improved and some became teachers. The sons
of wealthy families were taught in schools or by private
tutors. Many poor children, who could also be slaves,
had little chance of an education,
for they worked long hours.
Children first attended primary
school from the age of six or
seven. The lessons were basic,
with an emphasis on writing,
Wax tablets held together with reading and learning to count on
leather thonging to form a an abacus. The alphabet was
type of book which could have learnt letter by letter and
several pages.
Comprehension
1. Why do you think fathers taught their sons how to handle weapons?
2. Which instrument was used for counting?
3. Why did schools start and finish early?
4. If a young man wanted an important position, what did he need to study?
5. Do you think girls should have been able to attend school in the early Republic?
Why/Why not?
sometimes sweets were
shaped into letters,
perhaps as a reward
when a letter was learnt!
At the age of 12 pupils
were taught by a
grammaticus, a man
Activity Box
Follow the steps in this procedure to make a wax writing tablet used by Roman school pupils.
1. Find a shallow lid from a small box.
2. Use soft modelling clay or melted candle wax to fill up the lid.
3. Use the point of a compass to carve out a simple message to a partner.
Reed pen used
with ink.
with a wider knowledge than previous teachers. Pupils
now studied poetry, history, geography, grammar etc. At
16, promising pupils from good families studied public
speaking with rhetors. Such studies were essential if a
young man aspired to an important position in Roman
society. They were also sent to famous educational
centres like Athens, where they were taught by great
philosophers such as Socrates and Aristotle. The Romans
admired Greek culture so the Greek language was
studied by older pupils, who could then read books by
great Greek writers like Homer.
Schools started early, often before sunrise, and finished
in the early afternoon to avoid the fierce heat of the day.
The cane was commonly used for disobedience, but also
for pupils who did not learn their work quickly.
4. Then, as the Roman writer, Ovid, advised, ‘Whenever you write, make sure all previous letters
have been erased from your tablet’.
Stylus used
on wax.
Viewing Sample
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