Reading Republican Oratory: Reconstructions, Contexts, Receptions

Public speech was a crucial aspect of politics in Republican Rome, with Cicero being the only example to have survived in complete form since antiquity. This collection of essays aims to broaden our conception of the oratory of the Roman Republic by exploring how it was practiced by individuals other than Cicero, focusing on the surviving fragments of such oratory and the complex intersections of the written fragments and the oral phenomenon. The essays are arranged into two thematic Parts, addressing questions of reception, selection, and transmission and reconstruction, contextualization, and interpretation.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 384 pages
\n Publication date: 22 February 2018
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press
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In the realm of politics, public speech held a paramount significance in Republican Rome, both in theory and practice. Over the past few decades, there has been a remarkable surge in scholarly discourse surrounding the importance and performance of this speech. However, the limited nature of the surviving evidence has left us largely reliant on the insights of one individual, whose writings are the sole examples to have endured in their entirety since antiquity: Cicero. This collection of essays seeks to expand our understanding of the oratory of the Roman Republic by delving into the practices of individuals other than Cicero. Whether they were prominent statesmen, skilled lawyers, or, in rare instances, the wives of politicians, these orators left behind fragments that offer valuable insights into the art of public speaking during this period.

The focus of this collection lies particularly on the surviving remnants of these orations, with individual essays addressing the challenges posed by the partial and often unreliable nature of the evidence available about these other Roman orators, often known primarily through the biased observations of Cicero himself. Moreover, the essays explore the intricate interplay between the written fragments and the oral phenomenon, shedding light on the methods employed to reconstruct non-Ciceronian oratory and the exploration of fresh approaches to interpret this evidence in order to gain deeper insights into the content, context, and delivery of those speeches.

The essays are organized into two thematic parts. The first part addresses questions of reception, selection, and transmission, while the second part focuses on reconstruction, contextualization, and interpretation. Together, these parts provide a comprehensive overview of the non-Ciceronian speeches that will be of immense value to ancient historians, philologists, and literary classicists with an interest in the oratory of the Roman Republic.

In conclusion, public speech played a vital role in the political landscape of Republican Rome, and the essays in this collection seek to broaden our understanding of this important aspect of Roman culture and society. By examining the practices of non-Ciceroan orators and exploring new methods of interpretation, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of oratory that flourished during the Roman Republic.

\n Weight: 714g\n
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 29 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780198788201\n \n