Michigan Papyrus Collection

Literature and Education

When the Greeks came to Egypt, they brought with them their culture. This included their language, literature, and their educational system. Throughout Egypt we find papyrus containing the works of Greek historians, playrights, poets and even mathematicians. Click here for highlighted literary texts in the Collection.

Comedy and Tragedy- The two primary categories of Greek drama. The Michigan Papyrus Collection contains fragments of the works The Knights, by Aristophanes, Arbitrants, by Menander and Sophocles Oeidipus Coloneus.

Elegy- Elegiac poets are found throughout Egypt, often imported by the Ptolemaic kings to Alexandria. The Michigan Papyrus Collection contains a work by one such elegiac poet, Callimachus, entitled Aitia, (Causes). The poem explores the origins of local traditions which survived into the Ptolemaic period.

Epic- Wherever Greeks are found, it is almost certain one will find a copy of Homer. For centuries the Greeks used the Homeric epics in their educational system. Thus, when they came to Egypt, they brought Homer, among other authors, such as Hesiod, with them. The works of both authors can be found in the Michigan Papyrus Collection.

History- A portion of Thucydides' History of the Pelopponesian Wars can be found here. In addition, private letters, especially from those in the military, give us information on the politcal situation in Egypt and the rest of the empire.

Illiteracy- Illiteracy was quite high in the ancient world, yet exact percentages are unknown. Illiteracy, as with literacy, in documents often refer to the Greek language. Therefore, although an individual is stated as illiterate in a document, they may be quite literate in their native language, such as Demotic or Hebrew.

Literacy- Literacy tended to be higher in the metropoleis than villages, but one could obtain an education in the villages. Degrees of literacy are sometimes stated within the papyri, such as those who are described as "writing slowly." This meant that an individual could sign their name in a document, if much else.

Mathematics- The Greek educational system required that one learn math, in addition to the ancient authors. We find tables of fractions, multiplication, algebra, arithmetic, etc. The Collection also contains a text on Euclidean mathematics, perhaps copied for use in a scholastic setting.

Oratory- Learning the works of famous orators, such as Demosthenes, was essential in the teaching of rhetoric for the Greeks. These skills would be put to use primarily in the law courts, in Greek, Hellenistic and Roman times.

Philosophy- In the Greek and Hellenistic world, several schools of philosophy developed. Among the texts in the Michigan Papyrus Collection, works by Plato and the Stoics can be found. In addition, a philosophical text reflecting on the roles of myth and nature can be found.

School- Greek education consisted of learning reading and writing by use of the classical authors, and orators. Students were also taught mathematics by learning their tables and solving algebraic problems. Roman education was much the same, but concentrated on the learning of Latin authors in addition to the Greek. Other forms of education were carried out through apprenticeships, especially in the case of slaves.

Writing- In Greek and Roman schools, students practiced writing by copying the alphabet or phrases from classical texts. However, not everyone received an education in Egypt and the rest of the ancient world. Often, the writing of letters and documents was left to the work of scribes. For information on the materials used for writing, click here.