Caning Schoolboys: A (very!) old tradition

I'm reading Samuel N Kramer's The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. As we all know, the Sumerian civilization, which flourished between the Tigris and Euphrates in what is mainly Iraq, was one of the first to develop a functional written language. Having done so, they set up schools in their city-states to teach boys to read and write. These sons of the upper class generally went on to become scribes and other officials.

From the cuneiform writing on tablets found by archaeologists, many of which were written by the schoolboys or their teachers, discipline seems to have been a major problem in Sumerian schools. In a long narrative poem titled "The Schoolboy," written about 4000 years ago by an alum of a school, we find the following:
My headmaster read my tablet; said, "There is something missing." - caned me.
The fellow in charge of silence said, "Why did you talk without permission?" - caned me.
The fellow in charge of behavior said, "Why did you rise without permission?" - caned me.
My teacher said, "Your hand is unsatisfactory." - caned me.

And so on. The Sumerian signs denoting punishment were "stick" and "flesh," which Kramer interpreted as "caning." So for KLSF readers who were punished in school, be glad you didn't go to school in Sumer..

Great, now I'll have to add ancient Sumerian woman to the list of women I day-dream about punishing me! Right next to the Roman noblewoman, Victorian governess, Edwardian nurse, 20's maid, 30's teacher, 40's WRAF, 50's housewife, 60's stewardess, and 00's businesswoman. Next you'll tell me they spanked women as well and I'll have to add ancient Sumerian woman to my other list as well!

In all seriousness though, that is fascinating. It's amazing the weird things we know about the past!

Nswitch/thereader0987

Thanks for sharing that , Cal. It is interesting. We still don't know all there is to know about our past.