Alexandria, destroyed the remaining documents of the library as well as the
Mouseion in 642 AD (Breidbach 2015). Thereby much knowledge was
irretrievably lost.
The Mouseion was the institution, where poets, oretors and students of grammar
studied. It was a place to worship the muses with celebrations, as well as with
instructions and lectures. The basis for this was the library (Vinzent 2000). Scholars
researched and discussed their ideas, especially in disciplines such as astronomy,
geography, mathematics, but also botany and zoology, astronomy, astrology, optics,
literature, grammar and geography. Research findings were documented on scrolls
and copied in scriptoria for the distribution to libraries, scholars and private persons.
In addition, knowledge was transferred through discussions in schools and public
places (Breidbach 2015). A vivid philosophical study and teaching life existed
(Vinzent 2000). This approach and academic life were similar in Alexandria and
in Greece.
This example shows, that education, intellectual live and research had several
centres throughout the world leading to an exchange of ideas and experiences across
borders. Therefore, it is not surprising that a network of colleagues and students
existed between Alexandria and important Greek teaching centres, especially Athens, as well as a high mobility between academics (Vinzent 2000; Watts 2006).
The Greek culture during antiquity is one important root for today’s science.
Therefore, the most important philosophy schools as well as gymnasia as places of
advanced education in Greece will be presented exemplarily. However, other places
for intellectual education existed as well. For example, it was common that young
people of noble origin were educated by house teachers which were usually slaves or
freed persons (Kah and Scholz 2007). Scholars with broad knowledge about philosophy founded philosophy schools. Objectives of the schools were teaching students,
conducting discussions and debates and securing knowledge by writing it down.
Many philosophy schools existed, for example the School of Miletus, the School of
Pythagoras (the Pythagoreans) or the School of Elea. These philosophy schools were
accessible only for privileged people who were financially secure and had time to
spare—the upper class, the social elites (Breidbach 2015). The most famous philosophy schools in Athens were the Platonic Academy and the Aristotelian Lykeion.
Both were private foundations and lived from the support of their members and
patrons, both were educational and teaching institutions, and both formed the
tradition of learning and teaching (Breidbach 2015).
Plato (427–347 BC) belonged to the social elite of Athens by birth. His education
included instructions in grammar, music and gymnastics, all according to his social
position. Later on, he was a student of the philosopher Socrates. Plato founded his
own philosophical school, the Academy, in Athens a few years after the death of
Socrates. There he taught his philosophy, which later on became the scientific
concept of the occident. Knowledge is based on establishing a context in finding
rules and observing boundary conditions (Breidbach 2015). Aristotle (384–322 BC)
came from a family of physicians. It is assumed that he, like Plato, received an
education according to his social position. He then joined Plato’s academy and
remained a member until Plato’s death. Before he founded his own school, the
50
C. Börtitz and C. Hobohm
Mouseion in 642 AD (Breidbach 2015). Thereby much knowledge was
irretrievably lost.
The Mouseion was the institution, where poets, oretors and students of grammar
studied. It was a place to worship the muses with celebrations, as well as with
instructions and lectures. The basis for this was the library (Vinzent 2000). Scholars
researched and discussed their ideas, especially in disciplines such as astronomy,
geography, mathematics, but also botany and zoology, astronomy, astrology, optics,
literature, grammar and geography. Research findings were documented on scrolls
and copied in scriptoria for the distribution to libraries, scholars and private persons.
In addition, knowledge was transferred through discussions in schools and public
places (Breidbach 2015). A vivid philosophical study and teaching life existed
(Vinzent 2000). This approach and academic life were similar in Alexandria and
in Greece.
This example shows, that education, intellectual live and research had several
centres throughout the world leading to an exchange of ideas and experiences across
borders. Therefore, it is not surprising that a network of colleagues and students
existed between Alexandria and important Greek teaching centres, especially Athens, as well as a high mobility between academics (Vinzent 2000; Watts 2006).
The Greek culture during antiquity is one important root for today’s science.
Therefore, the most important philosophy schools as well as gymnasia as places of
advanced education in Greece will be presented exemplarily. However, other places
for intellectual education existed as well. For example, it was common that young
people of noble origin were educated by house teachers which were usually slaves or
freed persons (Kah and Scholz 2007). Scholars with broad knowledge about philosophy founded philosophy schools. Objectives of the schools were teaching students,
conducting discussions and debates and securing knowledge by writing it down.
Many philosophy schools existed, for example the School of Miletus, the School of
Pythagoras (the Pythagoreans) or the School of Elea. These philosophy schools were
accessible only for privileged people who were financially secure and had time to
spare—the upper class, the social elites (Breidbach 2015). The most famous philosophy schools in Athens were the Platonic Academy and the Aristotelian Lykeion.
Both were private foundations and lived from the support of their members and
patrons, both were educational and teaching institutions, and both formed the
tradition of learning and teaching (Breidbach 2015).
Plato (427–347 BC) belonged to the social elite of Athens by birth. His education
included instructions in grammar, music and gymnastics, all according to his social
position. Later on, he was a student of the philosopher Socrates. Plato founded his
own philosophical school, the Academy, in Athens a few years after the death of
Socrates. There he taught his philosophy, which later on became the scientific
concept of the occident. Knowledge is based on establishing a context in finding
rules and observing boundary conditions (Breidbach 2015). Aristotle (384–322 BC)
came from a family of physicians. It is assumed that he, like Plato, received an
education according to his social position. He then joined Plato’s academy and
remained a member until Plato’s death. Before he founded his own school, the
50
C. Börtitz and C. Hobohm