Antonios KULAS

THE GREEK IMPACT ON EDUCATION IN SERBIA IN THE 19th CENTURY

The Greek impact on Serbian education and culture launched during the Byzantine era. The centers of Teaming were the Monasteries and the first vehicle of education Greek clergymen and the laity. The oldest monuments of Serbian literature materialized in the 11th century and were the "Zetski Listovi pravoslavnoga praksapostolara" and the "Marijinsko Jevandelje".

Stefan Nemanja with St. Sava's assistance laid the foundations of Serbian literature with was mainly focused on the translation of the Byzantine scholars. In Serbia until the middle of 18th century ecclesiastical writings with liturgical and didactic style were translated. From then onwards we observe a turning point towards the translation of ancient Greek writers.

The Greek influence is profound in Dositej Obradovic, Jovan Rajic, L. Musicki, P. P. Njegos, V. Rasic and V. Radisic work. Jernej Kopitar translated Fautiel's collection of Greek folk songs. Greek schools were functioning in almost all Serbian cities during the nineteenth century and those schools attended distinguished Serbians such as Ilija Garasanin, Vladan Dordevic, Sima Milutinovic Sarajlija, Anta Protic and others. Greek eminent teachers taught at that schools and carried the Greek spirit in all places of Serbia with their books and translations, but at the end of 19`h century this has started to waning. However this left its intense vestige on Serbian education.

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