Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory - Blackwell Introductions to the Classical World by Thomas Habinek Hardcover

Book Synopsis

This book introduces readers to the ancient rhetorical tradition by investigating key questions about the origins, nature and importance of rhetoric.

• Explores the role of the orator, especially the two greatest figures of the tradition, Demosthenes and Cicero
• Investigates the place of rhetoric at the center of ancient education
• Considers the role of rhetoric since the end of antiquity.
• Includes a glossary of proper names and technical terms; a chronological table of political events, authors, orators, and rhetorical works; and suggestions for further reading.

From the Back Cover

Rhetoric was central to the political and cultural life of the Greek and Roman worlds. This book introduces readers to the ancient rhetorical tradition by investigating key questions about the origins, nature, and importance of rhetoric: is it inevitably an elite pursuit? What benefits did it offer its devotees? What would society be like without rhetoric?

The text explores the role of the orator, examining closely the two greatest figures of the tradition, Demosthenes and Cicero. It also investigates the place of rhetoric at the center of ancient education, and in conclusion considers the role of rhetoric since the end of antiquity.

A glossary of proper names and technical terms, a chronological table of political events, authors, orators, and rhetorical works, as well as suggestions for further reading, make the book accessible for all students of ancient literature and culture.

Review Quotes

"Marrying originality and theoretical broadmindedness with the virtues of a learned survey, Habinek brings the reader face to face with the aesthetic, political, and philosophical vitality of ancient rhetoric and oratory." Joy Connolly, New York University

"More than a compact history of ancient rhetoric, Habinek's Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory is a revelatory analysis of its social functions and an energetic defense of its democratic potential." Steve Johnstone, University of Arizona

"Habinek's experience and mature scholarship are manifest in the production of this work. It is fairly comprehensive, but even in areas in which it chooses to be selective, the choice is judicious... I would recommend this book to senior undergraduates and graduate students of history of rhetoric." Scholia

About the Author

Thomas Habinek is Professor of Classics at the University of Southern California. He is the author of The Politics of Latin Literature: Writing, Identity, and Empire (1998) and the editor of The Roman Cultural Revolution (1997).