Role of physical education in antique educational system

Abstract

The article deals with the place occupied by physical health-improving practices in the system of ancient education. The preconditions are revealed, based on which the ancient Greeks considered it necessary to develop bodily qualities in addition to spiritual ones. Revealed the goals that the ancient Greeks pursued during the upbringing of the younger generation. The authors separately consider both the Spartan teaching system and the Athenian one. Using a comparison method, the authors identified differences as well as similarities in physical education in Sparta and Athens. In addition to youth education, the authors consider what the education of girls was like in antiquity. The article reveals the attitude of the ancient Greeks to sports competitions, in particular, to the Olympic Games. The authors also tell what educational system formed the basis of the ancient Roman teaching of young men.