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Antiquity in public space

Publication at Faculty of Education |
2021

Abstract

In the past two decades, more attention has been paid worldwide to classical reception studies. New encyclopaedias, monographies, databases, and studies have been created focusing on selected areas of antiquity which, up to the present time, have been alive in the European cultural space and beyond.

The present paper mentions some of the most recent references to antiquity not only in cultural but also political terms, among others. At the academic level, the Czech Republic does not lag behind the mentioned trends.

However, most of these publications address students, primary and secondary school teachers, and academic staff. In accordance with the views of the Curriculum Framework (RVP) published by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic - that is that schoolchildren should be encouraged to critical thinking in order not to consider the past a closed chapter of human existence and history as merely cramming of dates, names, events, and ready-made conclusions, and that the knowledge of history is necessary for deeper understanding of the present - young recipients should also be involved in understanding the present-day life of antiquity.

However, most of the older textbooks do not deal with the Greek and Roman heritage. Already at the primary school level, from the beginning of history education, more attention should be paid to those antiquity phenomena that surround us up to the present day.

At the universities, future history teachers should be instructed how to include these dimensions into their antiquity classes. In the public domain, a platform should be established for discussions and meetings with the wider public.