Module 2: Physical Education in Greece

At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:

a. Trace up the brief history of Physical Education in Greece

b. Identify the qualities of being a good athlete in Athens, Greece
c. Research the Greek philosophers in their contribution in the
development of Physical Education and Sports.

Prepared by: Maychell Gutierrez,LPT

Athletic and Sports in Ancient Greek

Here’s the link about athletic and sports in Ancient Greek. Copy this link and watch this
video on youtube app.
https://youtu.be/7u8Pk3VpDV0

An Athlete/ Contestant had to undergo a rigid training or screening.

1. He had to be a freeman without criminal record
2. He had to be a perfect physique and good character.
3. He had to be in training for 10 months.
4. He had to compete in accordance with the rules.
5. He had to swear with father, brothers and sisters.
If an athlete wins the game he will not receive a material reward but then a Wreath of
Olive which consider as the highest honor that could be bestowed in Greece.

QUIZ!

Instruction: After you read about athletic and sports in Ancient Greek answer the
following activities and insert your answer after question.

Activity 1: Give the brief history of Physical Education in Greece

Answer:

History of Physical Education in Greece

The History of Physical Education dates back to ancient Greece, where competition and
intensity were second nature. During this time, physical education proved to be
important because it was a necessity in training both Greek soldiers and athletes. For
children, physical education and training would begin when they were around seven
years old, with the goal being to eventually have them be well-skilled in activities like
boxing, chariot races, and more. For this to happen, they needed to understand their
body and what went into physical activity, thus physical education played a large role in
the progression of the Greek society.

Physical skills were taught from a young age, there were no womens, and Ancient
Greece developed the first “gymnasiums,” which were large structures where sports and
races could held. There are two city states in ancient Greece which gave much
importance to ancient Greece, and that is the Sparta and Athens. in Sparta, the main
objective of physical education was contribute to a strong and powerful army. While in
Athens, the individual’s life was not controlled and regulated as in Sparta, and one
enjoyed individual freedom. The objective of physical education was for physical
perfection with emphasis on beauty of physique. Greece laid the foundation for the
present Olympic games which were first held in 776 B.C. and continued every four
years thereafter. Additionally, the Greeks developed the Olympics as a display of
physical skills.

By the mid-19th century, physical education would make its way to the United States.
The reasoning was similar to that of what the Greeks were using it for, which was to
both educate and train soldiers for eventual battle. However, over the course of time,
physical education would develop into something much more monumental. Schools
across the country would begin to take health-related topics more seriously, both on the
playground and in the classroom, and courses targeted toward physical development
would be given more attention.

Activity 2: Research on the Greek Philosophers, teachers and medical men who
contributed to the worth of Physical Education.

Picture Contribution How they introduced

their contribution in
relation to Physical
Education
Herodotus recognized He wrote three books on
Herodotus physical education and regimen and noted that
physical fitness as crucial “eating alone will not keep
parts of medicine, as early a man well; he must also
as the 5th century BC. take exercise”.
Stated that physical Galen’s discussion of the
Galen education is a part of “non-naturals” and the
hygiene and subordinate to importance of exercise are
medicine. especially evident in The
Pulse for Beginners, To
Thrasyboulos: Is
Healthiness a Part of
Medicine or of
Gymnastics?, and in The
Art of Medicine. In the first
book, Galen explains that
the pulse can be altered by
both “natural” and “non-
natural” causes, such as
the “ill-proportioned use of
exercise, baths or sleep”,
and further notes that
exercise, “so long as it is
practised in moderation—
renders the pulse vigorous,
large, quick, and frequent”.
He wrote three books on Although Hippocrates was
Hippocrates regimen and noted that not the first physician to
“eating alone will not keep prescribe exercise for
a man well; he must also patients, he was the first
take exercise”. recorded physician to
provide a written exercise
prescription for a patient
suffering from
consumption.
He gave emphasis on the He used an inductive
Socrates importance of physical method of argumentation
education attaining health in order to develop
 in order to achieve one’s universal definitions.
purpose in life.
He considered gymnastics Plato found the mission of
Plato and music as two most his life in political activity—
important subjects in the in education. So he
curriculum. touched sport many times
in his dialogs and exposed
its role in the education of
young people.
Aristotle considers physical Regarded by Singer as the
Aristotle strength as a bodily vir- primary originator of the
tue, or attribute. We may Greek humoral theory,
say that a man is strong proposed when an
when he is able to impose imbalance occurred
his will on another by between the four humors
means of his own [phlegm, yellow bile, black
muscular strength, by bile, and blood, disease
pulling, pushing, lifting up and bodily disorders would
or throttling the other follow. Hippocrates was a
“strong supporter” of the
humoral theory and likely
the most prominent
physician in Greece to
include its tenets when
prescribing a regimen that
would reestablish an
equilibrium between the
humors that aided
recovery and promoted
health.
He thought of physical Xenophon was a Greek
Xenophon education as important in philosopher, soldier,
terms of the military and historian, memoirist, and
essential to success in life the author of numerous
soundness of the mind and practical treatises on
body. subjects ranging from
horsemanship to taxation.

Activity 3: Watch the Video about the Athletic and Sports in Ancient Greek based on the
link given. (https://youtu.be/7u8Pk3VpDV0)

And write a reflection paper about the video

Answer:

Athletics and Sport of Ancient Greek