Education in Late Antiquity: Challenges, Dynamism, and Reinterpretation, 300-550 CE

Education in Late Antiquity provides a comprehensive account of the Graeco-Roman debate on education between 300 and 550 CE, tracing changing attitudes towards the aims and methods of teaching, learning, and formation. It shows how writers of the period offered substantive critiques of established formal education and tried to reorient ancient approaches to learning, focusing on attaining happiness, the good life, and fulfillment.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 11 February 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Education in Late Antiquity provides a comprehensive exploration of the Graeco-Roman debate on education between 300 and 550 CE. Jan Stenger delves into the shifting attitudes towards the aims, methods, and formation of teaching, learning, and the self. Contrary to the perception of a static and uniform postclassical education system, Stenger argues that writers of this period offered critical critiques of established formal education and sought to reorient ancient approaches to learning. Through a diverse range of discourses and genres, Education in Late Antiquity demonstrates how educational thought was intricately intertwined with the broader concerns of the time, encompassing morality, religion, relationships with others and the world, and concepts of gender and the self. The central idea revolves around education as a transformative process that shaped an individual's entire being, rather than merely imparting formal knowledge or skills. The debate centered around achieving happiness, the good life, and fulfillment, leading to the orientation of education toward the development of humanity within the person. By delving into the discourse on education, this book uncovers the evolving horizons of Graeco-Roman thought on learning and formation, shedding light on the rich tapestry of intellectual and cultural developments during this period.

Weight: 654g
Dimension: 165 x 243 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198869788