On some (dis)similarities between Near Eastern scribal education, παιδεία, nam.lú.ùlu and humanitas

Abstract

A comparative examination of the traditions of παιδεία and humanitas alongside the scribal tradition of the Ancient Near East reveals not only some expected dissimilarities, but also intriguing parallels in pedagogical methods, educational objectives, and societal roles of the educated elite. It is undeniable that the scribal education which was going on in the bit tuppi was a kind of παιδεία that corresponds to the Greek one, at least in a technical, if not in a social context. Although the specific methods, content, and cultural contexts of the Near Eastern, Greek and Roman educational systems varied, they all shared the common goal of making the elite members of society effective administrators, scribes, and leaders. Moreover, a comparison between the Sumerian concept of nam.lú.ùlu and the Roman concept of humanitas reveals two distinct, but overlapping understandings of what it meant to be human and urban in the context of their respective cultures. While both nam.lú.ùlu and humanitas offer frameworks for understanding humanity, they reflect the different values and priorities of their respective cultures: the former was rooted in a communal, religious view of humanity that focuses on collective responsibility and divine order, while the latter emphasized individual moral development, cultural refinement, and civic responsibility within a more secular framework.