Physical Education in Ancient near East Countries

I. Historical Development in P.E.

The terms Physical Education and Sport are used in reference to early historical developments, with Physical Education typically used to refer to school–based programmes and Sport used to refer to organised, competitive contest.

History enlightens us- it enables us to understand how the fields of Physical Education, Exercise Science and Sport today have been shaped by the leaders and events of the past. History guides us-it suggests future possibilities and courses of action that might be most effective in the years to come. History is a field of study, focusing on the study of change over time.

History expands our understanding of society as well as Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Sport.

In ancient times people engaged in physical activity and participated in sports for many different purposes. During this time the growth of physical activity and sport was influenced by religious beliefs, social class, geography, activities of daily living, and conceptions of the relationship between the mind and body.

Physical education goes back to Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece but has now become an integral subject in schools around the nation. Initially, most P.E. was linked with military trainings. However, we will also develop our upper body strength in some activities such as javelin or for sword fighting. Lastly, most of the men in the Ancient Greeks are undertaking the military services and was relatively low in the women.

Some students who are studying here at NVC will be interested in undertaking courses in the development of P.E. In this program, we will understand how certain techniques of teaching and skills have come about and are vital in this field.

II. Physical Education in Greece

Physical Education had its golden age in ancient Greece. The two city states which gave physical activities much importance were Sparta and Athens. However, these states were exact opposites in their objectives of physical education.

In Sparta, the main objective of Physical Education was to contribute to a strong and powerful army. The individual existed for the state so that he did not enjoy individual freedom. Only the strong and vigorous babies were allowed to live in this military state. Any new born infant when found weak or defective was left to die on Mount Taygetus. A conditioning program subjected all boys after six years of age to a rigid training in the public barracks, and entered the Agoge which was a system of public compulsory training. The physical activities consisted of wrestling, jumping, running, throwing discus and the javelin, horseback riding, hunting and marching, among others.

Various physical activities were providing the six year old boys in the palaestra which was a building for exercises and an open space for jumping and wrestling. The proprietor of the palastra who was also responsible for directing the activities was called paidotribe. At the age of 14 to 16 the Greek youth coming from the palaestra entered the gymnasium which was the physical, social and intellectual center of Greece. The main areas of concern were special sports and exercises under an expert instructor called the gymnast. The gymnasiarch was the chief official and overall in charge of the entire gymnastics program.

Greece laid the foundation for the present Olympic Games which were first held in 776 B.C. and continued every four years after. In these games the contestant had to undergo a rigid screening. A number of Greek of Philosophers, teachers and medical men contributed to the worth of physical education and among them are the following:

III. Physical Education in Ancient Oriental Countries

Ancient China

Ancient China’s policy of isolation was favored by two factors: the topography of the land which provided a natural and necessary protection against invaders, and the Great Wall. Laws were also passed to keep invaders out the country. This policy of isolation lacked the motivating factor to be physically strong because there was no fear of aggression.

The people were concerned with intellectual excellence. A sedentary life was much favored by their concern with memorizing the teaching of Confucius, the Great Teacher at that time. Chinese classics show that reach families engaged in music, dancing and archery. The popular dances were the skill dances, such as “Split – Feather Dance“, “Whole- Feather Dance”, “Battle Dance”, and the humanity dance. There was also wrestling, jujitsu, polo, tag-of-war, kite flying and water games.

As early as 2698 B.C. a form of medical gymnastics was developed. The people felt that the cost of their illnesses was their inactivity due to their sedentary life. They soon realize that a kind of gymnastic could provide the activity for a cure of their illnesses. The “Kung-Fu” was the earliest of exercises recorded in

history. This has been met with much enthusiasm by the present generation in the Philippines after World War II.

India

The history of dance mentions Hindu dancing as the oldest of organized dancing. Some of the favorite pastimes of the people were throwing balls, dice, tumbling, chariot races, marbles, riding elephants, plowing contest, horse riding, and swordsmanship, boxing, and dancing.

A great contribution of India to physical Education is Yoga which is composed of exercises in posture and regulated breathing. Although this is a religious activity in India, it is being accepted today as important activity to discipline the mind and body because it involves 84 different positions.

They are the most common acquiring physical education and some authorities believed that in almost four thousand years ago as a part of curriculum in Education. If there is no formal education, the acquire knowledge through imitating the movement of their parents of tutor.

The promotion of P.E. are only the healthy child are allowed and if your child is not healthy, they don’t even care of it.

The countries in Ancient Oriented Countries also develop their P.E. to attain vocational, recreational and religious belief. However, others are for military and body conditioning purposes.

IV. Physical Education during the Age of Feudalism

The period of feudalism came into being after death of a powerful ruler, Charlemagne, in 1814 when there was a disintegration of the whole empire and there was decentralization of government. In the absence of a strong leader, the people turned to the nobleman or lord for protection. Feudalism was a system of land tenure based upon the allegiance and service to the nobleman or lord. The lord who owned the land was called fief who let out the land to a subordinate who was called his vassal. This vassal had people who worked the land but shared little in the profits and these were called serfs.

V. Primitive Society

Primitive man moved in order to satisfy a felt need for a necessity. He had to satisfy his hunger and so he had to search for food. This he did by hunting wild animals in the forest or by fishing along the rivers and streams. Sometimes, he had to engage in warfare in order to ensure protection from his enemies. He had to erect shelter to protect him from adverse elements or a hostile environment.

The physical activities of primitive man were not organized. His motives for physical activity were mainly to search for food and to protect himself from his enemies. However, his gregarious nature and his innate drives for mating and propagation give him the desire to dance and play. All this physical activities of primitive man where very much unorganized.

VI. P.E. during the Dark Ages

Referred to as the “Dark Ages” in history was the period following the fall of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476. The strong Teutonic barbarians overruled the lands the lands that experienced glory and grandeur. The invasions brought about the lowest ebb in literature and in learning. It is, however, interesting to note the lesson derived from this period in history: that the Teutonic barbicans who lived a life characterized by much physical activity were strong and healthy and conquered the Romans who were physically and morally deteriorated due to their way of life.

During the dark period, two major movements grew out which swept all over Europe: asceticism and scholasticism. These movements affected tremendously physical education.

Christianity grew and thrived in this period with the ascetic belief that one can attain high spiritual level through solitude, mortification of the flesh, and devotional contemplation. These people did not believe in worldly pleasures but this life should be a means of preparing for the next world. The body should be tortured and not improved because the body is evil. A Christian emperor, Theodosius, abolished the Olympic Games in A.D. 394 because these were believed as being pagan. The customs and practices at the time resulted in poor health and shattered nervous system of many people.

VII. P.E. during Renaissance

The renaissance period which came after the dark ages lasted until the beginning of modern times. This was called the revival of learning which also brought about the dignity of man and a renewed spirit of nationalism. This period also had its impact on physical education. The theory that the body and the soul were inseparable and indivisible became popular. It was the belief that good physical health promoted learning, and that rest and recreation were needed by the body after study and work.

This renaissance period helped to interpret the worth of physical education to the public. This was with the belief that it

was necessary for health, as a means of developing the body, as a preparation for warfare, and a means of providing recreation for the wealthier classes of people. It, however, failed to recognize the important contribution of physical education to the aesthetic, social, and moral life in general. 

VIII. P.E in the Philippines

Just like in the primitive society, the activities in physical education were very important for survival because this was not affected of what every activities they have. Except for those enforce labor in a lower class which generally had a sedentary likes. While in American period it’s an interesting worthwhile for them.

There are some states that marked and significant event to the people:

1901 – Physical exercise was one of the subjects introduced in the public schools and regular program of athletics was developed.

1905 – Baseball and track and field were introduced and taught to the young boys in school.

1909 – The athletic program for the school was inaugurated and much emphasis was given to the playing of western sports and the coaching of tennis.

1910 – Basketball was first introduced as a game for girls in the Carnival Meet held in Manila, but was later discontinued in 1914 because it was found very strenuous for the girls.

1928 – A summer for coaching was held with the aim of helping the public school teachers in charge of athletics to improve their coaching methods.

 Year Present

      November 15, 1935, the Philippine Commonwealth interrupted the Japanese occupation during the World War II. In 1937 Physical Education was made curricular subject in the secondary schools. The summer schools for Physical Education was been opened by the Bureau of Education under the direction of Serufin Aquino.

      The Physical Education was no able to have a chance to emphasis and it was sadly neglected by some Philippine School, after granting Americans independence. But because of the performance of the Filipino athletics this was being launched by the Secretary Education Honorable Carlos P. Romulo. He order No.15 series 1967 entitled “Physical Education and Sports Development Program” this was consider shots to the arms which made gladness to the hearts of the Physical Educators of the country.

Today it revised to all of those schools in the country as one of the subjects in academic and to development and evaluation of programs for promoting and improving organized sports in physical fitness for all numbers of the community.

IX. Physical Education in Rome

Roman physical education focused on training for battle. Of the many contributors made by the Greeks to classical culture, the notion of a mutual dependence between a sound, mind and a

healthy body persisted in Rome throughout the Republican and imperial periods. Yet the romans were intent on making practical use of physical training beyond its favorable impact or general health. Roma political impact incorporated physical education into a national program for military preparedness. Centering on boys and men.

A great and well-disciplined army with great leaders brought about the grandeur of the Roman Empire at the time when almost all of Europe was under its influence. The objectives of physical education in Rome affected the sound objectives held by the Greeks whom they conquered.

Army life was considered very important to the Romans and considered health as important only for military life. In order to be in top physical shape for the army, a Roman soldier had to engage in various physical activities following a rigid schedule of training. Activities such as marching, jumping, running, throwing the discus and javelin, swimming, among others, were included. He had to be ready at a moment’s notice to serve the state from 17 to 60 years of age.

X. P.E. in America

School-based physical education’s history goes all the way back to Greece in 386 B.C. at Plato’s school, named simply Akademia, or “The Academy.” The Greek philosopher well understood the importance of physical fitness. He was, after all, an athlete, particularly skilled as a wrestler. In fact, he is quoted as once saying, “In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these two means, man can attain perfection.”

Of course, American physical education has come a long way since—but we owe our physical education system to Greece and many other countries, from which we’ve derived the system we use now. According to the official United States government website, Fitness.gov, the goal of physical education in American schools is “to develop physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.”

Interestingly, the driver behind the establishment of the physical education system in America was war—in short, the fitness of soldiers in combat became a country-wide priority. After the end of the American Civil War, school systems implemented physical education programs and enacted laws that would make the inclusion of physical education programs compulsory in all public schools.

XI. Brief History of Philippine Music

Music of Philippines are performance arts composed in various genre and styles. The music of the Philippines is a mixture of indigenous, other Asian, European, Latin American, and American influences.

Filipinos are conservative in nature, thus, rock scene in the Philippines has taken them aback. But since when did Filipinos started to love rock music? Blame it to the West again. It’s when Americans and British bands like, The Shadow and The Ventures flourished way back 1960’s and so, Filipino instrumental bands arose and they just couldn’t stop from loving it since it thrive their sense of dynamism. Among other famous bands during 60’s were, not to mention the British band, The Beatles, this struck the Filipino mainstream and boundlessly influenced Filipino rock scene. Their popularity and use of counterculture has produced a socio-political lyrics with mature comments in life has as well deeply influenced Filipino rock artists. Filipino bands began adopting this music and some groups enhanced their styles by adding unconventional instruments. In the late 60’s the rock culture of bands like Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppilin, Ironbutterfly, etc. have greatly influenced Pinoy Rock. With its influence, it produced bands like Maria Cafra Band and the Juan Dela Cruz Band to name a few, in Pinoy rock scene.

XII. Sociological Foundation in P.E.

Sociology is the study of people, groups, institutions, human activities in terms of social behavior, and social order within society. u Concerned about institutions in society such as religion, family, government, education, and leisure.The influence of social institutions on the individual, the social behavior and human relations that occur within a group or an institution, and how they influence the individual, and the interrelationship between various institutions within society, such as sport, education, religion, and government.Sport Sociology u Examination of the relationship between sport and society. The Goals of Sport Sociology (Coakley):

Factors underlying the creation and the organization of sports.

Relationship between sport and other aspects of society such as family, education, and the media.

Influence of sport and sport participation on individuals beliefs relative to equity, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and other societal issues.

The social dynamics within the sport setting, i.e., organizational structure, group actions, and interaction patterns. The influence of cultural, structural, and situational factors on the nature of sport and the sport experience.

The social processes associated with sport, including competition, socialization, conflict, and change.

XIII. Psychological Aspects of P.E.

Psychology has an important part to play in the teaching and practice of physical education and sport, and this volume, originally published in 1972, provided a systematic and authoritative introduction to the major areas in this field at the time.

The contributors, leading experts in the UK and US, cover five major areas of psychology: perception, learning, personality, motivation and emotion, focusing attention on important current research of the time, and opening up these areas for the serious student. They review controversial issues of central importance in physical education and sport, pointing to practical implications for learning, teaching and coaching.

A great opportunity to read an early take on what has become a central part of physical education and sport today.