Dunamis, Kalos, Ethikos
Power (δύναμις), Beauty (κᾰλός), Morality (ἠθικός). Delving into the ideas of beauty, harmony, and intellectual advancement in shaping the ideal citizen, as proposed by ancient Greek luminaries.
In Classical Antiquity, health, discipline and intellectual development are few of the many virtues the ideal Greek citizen in history strove to embody and apply in life. By looking into the works of ancient Greeks such as Aristotle, Xenophon, Pindar and even Homer and Herodotus, we will understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle as well as the ancient admiration for physical prowess, the connection between physical beauty and moral development, and how a well-formed and healthy body is associated with discipline, self-control, a strong character and an indicator of a person's virtue and worth.
Xenophon (430-354 BC), in his works, praised the Spartans for their emphasis on physical training. He highlighted how the Spartans believed that physical beauty and strength reflected the qualities of discipline, endurance and readiness for military service.
In fact, the founder of the Spartan training system (āgogē), Lycurgus, believed the core principles of his training system to be health, discipline and fitness. These three principles were believed to contribute to a well-functioning society. Lycurgus' system of training was implemented in three categories of training: children, teenagers and adults.
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