Cicero, Philodemus, And The Development Of Late Hellenistic Rhetorical Theory

Philodemus’ On Rhetoric reflects theoretical tendencies that arose significantly after the beginning of the first century B.C.E. Particularly, along with Cicero in his De oratore and Orator, Philodemus addresses the artistic status of rhetoric with a complicated conception of art (τέχυη). In the process, he emphasizes presentational parts of rhetoric over substantive parts, divides his rhetorical genera into two sets, using the aim of practical persuasion as a criterion, and makes rhetoric dependent upon other disciplines for its successful practice. Consistent with these findings, there can be no doubt that Philodemus was an active participant in the developments that shaped late Hellenistic rhetorical theory.