The development of physical education in ancient civilizations: A comparative study between Rome and Greece

Abstract

This research examines the development of physical education in ancient civilizations through a comparative study between Rome and Greece, considering physical education as part of the socialization and citizenship-building system, not merely a history of games and competitions. The research aims to: analyze the concept of physical education in the two civilizations, compare educational goals and social and political functions, identify the role of institutions and spaces that foster practice, and analyze the content of activities and their health and medical function. To explain the relationship between physical activity, power, and the public, and then to draw lessons and recommendations for developing modern physical education, the study adopted the historical-comparative method by tracing the origins of practices and their transformations over time within each civilization, then organizing the results into unified themes that allow for comparison. The data collection tools consisted of: a desk survey of sources, books and peer-reviewed studies, analysis of historical documents and texts related to education and public life, and the construction of comparative matrices/tables to classify the data. The study concluded that the Greek model was associated with a comprehensive education that tended to integrate the body with the mind and values, with clear educational institutionalism, training and competition spaces, and the association of activity with civic prestige and the ceremonial dimension. While the Roman model was characterized by practical utilitarianism, with physical education focusing on discipline, readiness, and service to the state, along with a strong presence of the function of daily health across urban spaces and a clear overlap with spectacle culture and its relationship to public management, the study recommends developing modern curricula based first on philosophy, integrating physical education with ethical and social values, promoting health and prevention as a lifestyle, diversifying spaces and activities between practical fitness and organized competition, and ensuring inclusive access and participation for all groups.