Cicero Rhetoric And Empire

Cicero manipulated issues relevant to Rome's possession of an empire (provincial extortion, access to citizenship, and the distribution of military commands) in an important group of speeches: the Verrines, de imperio Cn. Pompei, pro Archia, pro Flacco, de provinciis consularibus, and pro Balbo. C.E.W. Steel examines the speeches' rhetorical techniques and aims in detail. Cicero's presentation of empire concentrates on the power wielded by individuals at the expense of wider questions of administrative structures. Thus the problems which arise in the running of an empire can be presented as the result of personal failings rather than endemic to the structures of government - as questions of morality rather than of administration. Steel argues that this concept is fundamentally flawed. The weakness cannot be explained simply as Cicero's lack of insight, but as an inevitable consequence of the uses to which he puts oratory in his political career: comparison with his contemporaries shows other leading figures producing much more radical approaches to the problems of empire.

Explores the crucial role played by rhetorical education in turning Cicero into a literary and political symbol after his death.

Cicero manipulated issues relevant to Rome's possession of an empire in an important group of speeches. In this monograph the author examines Cicero's rhetorical techniques and aims in detail.

A comprehensive and authoritative account of one of the greatest and most prolific writers of classical antiquity.

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.

This volume is intended as a companion to the study of Cicero's oratory and rhetoric for both students and experts in the field: for the neophyte, it provides a starting point; for the veteran Ciceronian scholar, a place for renewing the dialogue about issues concerning Ciceronian oratory and rhetoric; for all, a site of engagement at various levels with Ciceronian scholarship and bibliography. The book is arranged along roughly chronological lines and covers most aspects of Cicero's oratory and rhetoric. The particular strength of this companion resides in the individual, often very original approach to sundry topics by an array of impressive contributors, all of whom have spent large portions of their careers concentrating upon the oratorical and rhetorical oeuvre of Cicero. A bibliography of relevant items from the past 25 years, keyed to specific Ciceronian works, completes the volume. Brill's Companion to Cicero will become the standard reference work on Cicero for many years.

Reproduction of the original: Social Life At Rome in the Age of Cicero by W. Warde Fowler