Elizabeth Lanier
H Block
December 17, 2013
December 17, 2013
I Pledge EL
Education was very similar in the Byzantine empire and the Islamic empire. The best representation of the Islamic view of education is a quote from Muhammad himself, who was a Muslim prophet. He says, in The Sayings of Muhammad, that education is very important, as it keeps us happy in times of struggle, and will help the world be peaceful. An illustration of Byzantine education was Chronographiaby Michael Psellos written in the 11th century. Though it does not talk specifically about Byzantine education, it is what was taught to students, since it is a history covering from the year 976 to sometime between 1071-1078.
I. People in the Islamic empire held education in a very high regard.
A. The system was centered around the Koran, the Islamic sacred book says Matthew S. Gordon in his book, Islam.
1.Mostly, but not exclusively, boys began learning the Koran in elementary school.
2. Schooling was at the Mosques.
B. Memorization was also stressed in schools, according to Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair’s book, Islam.
1. Some students memorized the entire Koran, while others memorized Traditions of the Prophet.
2. This was influenced by authors and prophets, including Muhammad, who communicated only verbally, and committed what they had to say to memory.
3. More people knew how to read than write, and paper was rare, so memorization was almost essential for passing on knowledge.
II. In the Byzantine Empire, school was just as important as in Islam.
A. The literacy level was very high.
1. The working class, like military personnel and merchants, at least had a basic education.
B. There was a higher education center at Constantinople.
1. There, students could learn medicine, philosophy, and law, and it was in use for over a thousand years, until the end of the empire.
C. The education system reflected Greece instead of Rome, even though Byzantium classified themselves as “Roman”.
1. Students could learn history, literature, and philosophy, also called the humanities, instead of natural sciences and medicine.
Works Cited
Brownworth, Lars. Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization. New York: Crown, 2009. Print.
Ariès, Philippe, and Georges Duby. A History of Private Life. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 1987. Print.
Gordon, Matthew. Islam. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1991. Print
Bloom, Jonathan, and Sheila Blair. Islam: A Thousand Years of Faith and Power. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 2002. Print.
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