古代羅馬教育

Abstract

古代羅馬教育除了在時間尚繼承古代希臘教育而作為西方文化教育之電機工作這個歷史特色外，了解古代羅馬教育，也顯示它在教育史上及應用於臺灣教育之思考上，有多重價值。其中最值得注意的是兩種不同語言(希臘與拉丁)，兩種不同的民族特質(理論性與實用性)之互相交流所激盪出來的問題；其次，本土性文化教育與語言之演變，從附屬地位而提昇制主宰角色，這兩大主題，皆是研究比較教育及文化的學者所無法忽視的對象。本文描述古代羅馬教育之演進史實，介紹傳統式的羅馬教育，從中作為例證來說明世界各地(包括臺灣)之最早期或文字記在以前人民之生活倫理教育概況；這種草根性的初民教育，在接觸到高度文民之希臘教育後，即發生種種的影響，從「排斥」及「仰慕」之論戰中陶融出羅馬文化的花朵。希臘及羅馬教育遂成為西方古典教育的代表，這種教育型態存在於歐美文教史上有超過一千年的時光。古代羅馬教育在歐美教育史上的份量，非同小可。臺灣的教育研究者也可以從中獲取不少的教育智慧與史訓以作為今後我國教育興革之參考。本文之寫作，旨在挑選具有意義的教育史料，以提昇教育的史見。這兩大目標，也是教育史的研讀所以達成的功能。

Chronologically, ancient Roman education succeeded ancient Greek education and became one of the basic foundations of western education. The understanding of ancient Roman education manifests itself in its remarkable value in the history of European education and culture, on the one hand, and in its useful application to the reformation of Taiwan education, on the other. The most worthwhile topics of its study, one should bear in mind, are those first, there are two different languages (Greek vs Latin) and two opposite racial characteritics (theoretical vs practical) wherein met together and interacted within themselves several complicated problems; second, native culture and education promoted itself during its evolution from the peripheral and inferior position to the dominate and eventually surpassed Greek education and culture. Inevitably, these two issues are the subject which the comparative educationists should not neglect. This thesis describes the historical facts of ancient Roman education, introduces the traditional type of ancient Roman education which exemplifies the prehistorical model of primitive education existed worldwide including Taiwan. After contacted with the highly civilized Greek education and culture, Roman society struggled between the attitudes of "antagonistic" and "hospitable". This kind of debate generated the Roman blossom of culture and education and represented the classic which was parallel with the Greek, hence the wisdom and lesson is instructive for everyone who is interested in the research of history of education.