CLS 311: Rhetoric and Persuasion in the Ancient World

If brought to the present day, an educated Greek or Roman from much of the timespan of classical civilization would find the speech and self-presentation of a modern educated person shockingly amateurish.  Rhetoric was the art of public speaking, and also much more than that.  Its importance reflected the profound centrality of speech in public settings in the life and values of the ancient Greek and Roman city. This course examines ancient Greek and Roman speeches, but also ancient writing about the art of persuasion, both by rhetorical writers themselves, and by their critics such as Plato.  All readings are in English.