Aristotle's Lyceum Found

Greek archaeologists have unearthed the Lyceum, the institution which, along with Plato's academy, is considered to be the forerunner of the modern university.

Opened in 335 BC, the Lyceum was a centre of study and research in both science and philosophy, which in that time were still seen as part of the same subject, philosophy. Alongside these intellectual pursuits, physical exercise was also undertaken, as the excavation of a wrestling ring illustrates.

Aristotle himself is credited not only with laying the foundations for all subsequent western Philosophy, particularly in establishing his system, of logic, but also with getting the ball rolling in areas as diverse as biology, political science and literary theory.

The site is situated just 200 yards from the British Embassy. Greece's Minister of Culture, Evangelos Venizelos said, "There is no doubt whatsoever that this is the school where Aristotle taught. We have decided that the excavations to unearth the remains will continue and that the site will co-exist in harmony next to the Museum of Modern Art so that the two can be visited simultaneously by Greeks and tourists."

News release of 9/27/97.  From The Philosopher's Web Magazine, Autumn, 1997.

Added note (August 15, 2014): Although excavations continue, the area was opened to visitors in 2009. You can check out the site and see some current photographs of it by checking in with Google Earth. Use the latitude/longitude parameters 37° 58' 26.67" N, 23° 44' 36.61" E.

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