The Academy was focused on the worship of wisdom, and he who teaches it. 


Due to this act of attributing wisdom to the human brilliance, the Greeks started to worship the naked human body. 

The academy upgraded into something that is called “gymnasium”. From the word gymnasium we get the word called “gymnastic and gym”.

The gymnasium in ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits and philosophical discussions. 


The name comes from the Ancient Greek term gymnós meaning “naked”, related to verb γυμνάζω (gymnazo), whose meaning is “to train naked”, “train in gymnastic exercise”, generally “to train, to exercise.

The human bodies of the brilliant ones were considered to be of high prestigious and worthy of worship; that’s why there is a lot of ancient naked statue or images of art deriving from the ancient empire of Rome and Greece. 

Athletes competed nude, a practice said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male body and attribute to the pagan gods.

Historically, the gymnasium was used for exercise, communal bathing, and scholarly and philosophical pursuits.

The Greek gymnasiums also held lectures and discussions on philosophy, literature, and music, and public libraries were nearby.


From the Greek influence (design of Gymnasium), that is where the European culture derives the idea of structuring Gymnasium schools in Europe and America.


Article written by Conscious lifestyle for self education