The Secular Education In The Ancient Roman Empire

The secular education is an important part of the culture in the Ancient Roman Empire. It inherits the essence of the Greek culture and integrates its own national characteristics. This leads to a distinctive education model. Its specific expressions and characteristics conform to the social situations of that time and reflect the social and cultural conditions as well as the national features of the Empire. The dissertation aims to analyze the educational thoughts and systems combined with the history of that time. We can get a comprehensive understanding of the secular education in the Roman Empire.The dissertation comprises three sectors besides the prologue and the epilogue.The prologue has discussed the significance and methods of the dissertation together with the research achievements both home and abroad. On the basis of the discussion the author expounds the purport of the dissertation.The first sector has inquired the social and cultural backgrounds of the secular education. It presents an overall exposition of the cultural, political and economical backgrounds with an aim to explore the social roots of the secular education.The second sector has introduced a famous educationist in the Roman Empire—Quintilianus, on the basis of which the author comprehensively expounds the secular education systems of the Empire. It consists of the pre-school education and the school education of different levels.The third sector has analyzed the dying out of the secular education and the reasons in the later period of the Empire. Of these reasons, the defects of the secular education are inherent. The invasion by the savage tribes, the decline of the economy and the emergence of the Christian education are the external reasons. The epilogue has summarized the main content of the dissertation. By analyzing the education systems and the teaching methods, the author concludes that the secular education in the Empire is systematic and is a comparatively higher level in the educational development in Ancient Rome.