Progymnasmata

Progymnasmata ( Greek, plural of progymnasma ) were preliminary exercises in rhetoric lessons from antiquity to modern times.

Originally the term referred to the preliminary exercises of Greek athletes before the actual competitions. Later he was transferred to the first phase of training in oratory with which he was henceforth connected.

In ancient ( Greek and Roman ) teaching system Progymnasmata were completed either even with the teacher ( grammaticus ), or during the speech teacher ( rhetor ). They consisted of individual successive in order of difficulty of exercises, such as retellings of Aesop's fables, Chrien, exercises in praise, criticism and comparisons, descriptions of landscapes or events, discussions and discussions of laws.

Usually, first gave the teacher in front of a self- penned or selected from previous authors example. In the second step, the students had to prepare themselves exercises in writing and the teacher present. In contrast to the subsequent actual teaching rhetoric but there is no complete speeches were made. Apart from the rhetorical- linguistic training mediated the Progymnasmata ethical and argumentative skills.

For the Progymnasmata there were textbooks, so the preserved Greek Ailios of Theon and Aphthonios. In the Latin authors discuss about Marcus Tullius Cicero and Quintilian this phase of the lesson. Numerous examples provide the Progymnasmata of late antique rhetorician Libanius.

The rhetoric teaching of the Middle Ages (especially in Byzantium ) and the early modern period to the 19th century followed in many features the antique models, so that the Progymnasmata were also still used.