Educating the Youth in Later Greek Comedy

This paper aims to examine the portrayal of education scenes in later Greek Comedy (4th-3rd cent. BC). While it is uncertain whether texts from Middle and New Comedy include plays that focus on education as prominently as Aristophanes’ Banqueters or Clouds, numerous fragments indicate a recurring interest in educational themes. These involve not only portrayals of philosophers and philosophical schools but also the emergence of key figures such as the pedagogue and the cook, who play significant roles in both educational and domestic contexts. The final part of the paper addresses a complementary aspect: the reception of Greek comedy in ancient education. Comic texts were incorporated into ancient curricula at various stages of instruction. Through this analysis, the paper highlights the lasting pedagogical value of comedy in the ancient world and how it both influenced and was influenced by educational practices.