The Lyceum of Athens stands as one of the greatest educational institutions of all time, serving as a model for later schools of the same name around the world. Most commonly associated with Aristotle, the Athenian Lyceum was actually established in the sixth century B.C, as the office of the Polemarch (general of the army) and a training ground for military exercises. It was also a meeting place for the Athenian assembly prior to the establishment of the Pnyx Hill facility in the fifth century. During the last third of the fifth century, Socrates and Protagoras taught and led philosophical discussions there and Isocrates taught rhetoric there during the first half of the fourth century.
The word Lyceum is Latin for the Greek word Lykeion which referred to the gymnasium, one of the original buildings on the site. It’s was named after the god Apollo Lyceus.