Why Ancient Greeks Believed Music Was Essential for Building a Virtuous Citizenry
In short: In ancient Greece, music was not merely entertainment; it was the bedrock of education and civic life. Philosophers argued that musical training was essential for cultivating virtue and harmonizing the soul. By shaping the perceptual attunement of individuals, music served as a powerful tool for building a stable political community.
For the ancient Greeks, the concept of mousikē encompassed far more than modern definitions of music. It was a pervasive social force, with one late twentieth-century scholar comparing its ubiquity and impact to that of modern television. Education without music was considered an impossibility, and the pursuit of virtue was inextricably linked to musical engagement. This was not a passive experience; through participatory motor training and habituation, mousikē functioned as a primary mode of acculturation, molding the outlook and perceptual attunement of citizens.
The political implications of music were profound. Because musical education formed the core of the Greek educational system, it was effectively the foundation of citizenship itself. Different musical modes were believed to instill specific virtues, acting as a mechanism to shape the character of the individual. Plato, in particular, emphasized that rigorous training in musicality could harmonize the soul, creating a balanced internal state that reflected outward into society. Conversely, he warned that shifts in musical styles and genres were not merely aesthetic changes; they had the potential to dislocate the entire polity.
This historical perspective on the intersection of music, philosophy, and politics was explored in a lecture recorded on 29th June 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London. The dialogue featured Milton Mermikides, Gresham Professor of Music, and Melissa Lane, Gresham Professor of Rhetoric. Their discussion highlighted how the ancient Greek approach to music was deeply embedded in the structures of their society, serving as a vital instrument for maintaining the health of the state and the moral development of its people.
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Sources
- Source: Gresham College — The Virtues of Music - Milton Mermikides and Melissa Lane · YouTube (embedded player only)
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