Page 28 - SYTYGIB: Ancient Rome

The Romans were also very big on other types of lessons. Pupils would study Latin — a form of which was spoken in ancient Rome — Greek, philosophy and rhetoric (the art of public speaking).
Does that sound much like the lessons you get in school? Didn’t think so. And before you ask, "the art of public speaking" does not mean having a ChInWaG with your buddy in class when you should be concentrating on what the teacher is saying!
Oh no! We've got double rhetoric from X o' clock until XII o' clock!
Urgh! I HATE rhetoric.
At least you get to go to school!
Boys from rich families were the only ones likely to get a proper education. Girls were educated up to primary age, but then had to learn household skills from their mothers. Poor people often couldn’t read or write and were put to work at an early age.
FANCY THAT!
Roman books consisted of one or more papyrus scrolls rather than the books with pages we have today. The finest books were written on vellum, which is made from sheets of wafer thin animal skin, usually baby goat or lamb. And that is why to this day you NEVER see goats or lambs reading books!
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