Book excerpt: The Teacher in Ancient Rome: The Magister and His World by Lisa Maurice investigates a particular aspect of education in ancient Rome, namely the figure of the teacher. After identifying and defining the different kinds of teachers in the Roman education systems, Maurice illuminates their ways of life both as both professionals and members of society. This text surveys the physical environment in which teachers worked, as well as the methods, equipment, and techniques used in the classroom. Slavery, patronage, and the social and financial status of the various types of teachers are considered in depth. Maurice examines ideological issues surrounding teachers, discussing the idealized figure of the teacher and the frequent differences between this ideal and actual educators. Also explored are the challenges posed by the interaction of Greek and Roman culture—and later between paganism and Christianity—and how these social clashes affected those responsible for educating the youth of society. The Teacher in Ancient Rome is a comprehensive treatment of a figure instantly recognizable yet strikingly different from that of the modern teacher.