By mid-5th century BC, Athens was governed by democratic rule and power turned upon the ability of the citizen to command the attention of the people, and to sway the crowds of the assembly. It was the Sophists who understood the art of rhetoric and the importance of transforming effective reasoning into persuasive public speaking. Their enquiries - into the status of women, slavery, the distinction between Greeks and barbarians, the existence of the gods, the origins of religion, and whether virtue can be taught - laid the groundwork for the insights of the next generation of thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle.
About the AuthorJOHN DILLON is now Regius Professor of Greek at Trinity College, Dublin. TANIA GERGEL is a lecturer in Ancient Greek Philosophy in the Department of Classics at King's College, London.
Book InformationISBN 9780140436891
Author John DillonFormat Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Penguin ClassicsPublisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 337g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 26mm