School life in Ancient Athens Education in Ancient Greece

Who went to school? Only boys went to school in Ancient Athens Girls were taught at home by their mothers. A few girls learnt how to read and write, but many did not. You had to pay to go to school, so poor boys did not get much education. A wealthy family sent a slave to walk to school with the boys. The slave stayed at school to keep an eye on them during lessons.

How old did you have to be? At age 3, children were given small jugs – this was a sign that babyhood was over. Boys went to school at the age of 7. Most Greek schools had fewer than 20 boys, and classes were often held outdoors. Boys stayed at school until they were 13 or 14.

What did children learn? Girls learned housework, cooking and skills such as weaving at home. Boys (at school) learned reading, writing, arithmetic, music and poetry. Part of the lessons included learning stories and poems by heart. Boys did athletics, to keep fit and prepare them for war as soldiers. They ran, jumped, wrestled and practised throwing a spear and a discus. They trained on a sports ground called a gymnasium.

What did they use at school? Children wrote on wooden tablets covered in soft wax, using a pointed stick called a stylus. They used an abacus, with beads strung on wires or wooden rods, to help with maths. They would have all had packed lunches. Books were very rare and expensive, so they had to memorize everything.

A tablet and stylus

An abacus