Learning the Rules: Games and Education in the Ancient World

Ovid’s formulation of the rules of the game of love in the Ars Amatoria and Remedia Amoris challenge the deep seeded Roman belief in essential masculinity.

Greek and Roman authors make a somewhat surprising connection between games and governance, often linking education to legislation. In this paper, I first outline the connection, then show how authors use it, subtly or obliquely, to advocate for a government led by those groomed since childhood. I unite two strands of scholarship to conclude that the Greek authors under examination use this theme to promote an ideal, whereas their Roman counterparts use it to justify class divisions.

During his discussion of the role of mousikê in education in Politics 8, Aristotle refers to the rattle of Archytas, a percussive toy that parents give to infants in order to prevent them from wreaking havoc upon the rest of the household (Pol. 1340b26-30).

Like much else in his History, Herodotus’ account of Cyrus combines elements of both historical and mythical narratives (source). One place where these elements intermingle is the account of Herodotus’ childhood at 1.108-122. Herodotus gives significant time to Cyrus’ birth and the prophecies surrounding him, but only depicts one event from Cyrus’ childhood: his play at kingship that leads to his encounter with Astyages (1.114-116).

The existence of ancient Greek drinking games (including kottabos and the skolion game) is undisputed, but our sources do not paint a clear picture of how and why these games were played.