Rhetoric Review Jan 2014

Writing Instruction for the “Young Ladies” of Teos: A Note on Women and Literacy in Antiquity

Richard Leo Enos Texas Christian University ; Terry Shannon Peterman Texas Christian University

Abstract

Historians of rhetoric have provided research over the last three decades that has significantly advanced our knowledge of women in the rhetorical tradition. These achievements, while often stunning, have also exposed the need for more primary research, particularly in classical rhetoric where a wealth of evidence awaits study. Such evidence is frequently found in nontraditional sources and, correspondingly, calls for nontraditional methods of analysis. The need and merits of this view are presented in two ways. First, an overview of nontraditional sources offers new insights to the literacy of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan women. Second, a more specific and detailed illustration of the research potential of this perspective is presented by deciphering an inscription from Teos, a small but important Greek city that is now a part of Turkey. The epigraphical evidence available from the archaeological site at Teos reveals that young women had systematic education in advanced stages of writing. Such findings challenge traditional characterizations of ancient women as nonliterate. The intent of this work is to reveal the need for more primary fieldwork in order to attain a more accurate understanding of women and the range of their manifestations of literacy in the ancient world.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2014-01-02
DOI
10.1080/07350198.2014.856725
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy literacy studies gender and writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (33) · 1 in this index

  1. Adkins Lesley (1997)
    Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece
  2. Agnew Lois. (2010)
    “The Classical Period.” The Present State of Scholarship in the History of Rhetoric: A Tw…
  3. Athenaeus.The Learned Banquet, 13(566e) Δϵιπνοσοφισταί
  4. Becker A. L. (1995)
    Beyond Translation: Essays Toward a Modern Philology
     ↗
  5. Chadwick John. (1970)
    The Decipherment of Linear B
Show all 33 →
  1. Corpus Inscriptionvm Latinarvm. Academiae Litterarvm Regiae Borvssicae, 1871Berolini apvd Georgivm Reimervm. …
  2. 1909.––––. Academiae Litterarvm Regiae Borvssicae. Volvminis Qvarti Svpplementvm. Berolini apvd Georgivm Reimer,
  3. Donehower Kim (2012)
    Reclaiming the Rural: Essays on Literacy, Rhetoric, and Pedagogy
  4. Enos Richard (2012)
    A Short History of Writing Instruction: From Ancient Greece to Contemporary America
  5. Shane Borrowman.
    On the Blunt Edge: Technology in Composition's History and Pedagogy
  6. Glenn Cheryl. (1997)
    Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance
  7. Hallenbeck (2012)
    Toward a Posthuman Perspective: Feminist Rhetorical Methodologies and Everyday …
    Advances in the History of Rhetoric
  8. Hartnett Matthew. (2008)
    By Roman Hands: Inscriptions and Graffiti for Students of Latin
  9. Havelock Eric A. (1986)
    The Muse Learns to Write: Reflections on Orality and Literacy from Antiquity to the Present
  10. Hawhee Debra. (2004)
    Bodily Arts: Rhetoric and Athletics in Ancient Greece
  11. Hooker J. T. (1980)
    Linear B: An Introduction
  12. (1909)
    Inscriptionvm Parietariarvm Pompeianarvm; Supplementvm
  13. 10.1017/CBO9780511735189.003
     ↗
  14. Marrou H. I. (1982)
    A History of Education in Antiquity
  15. Martial
  16. Pfohl Gerhard. (1967)
    Greek Poems on Stones. Volume I:
     ↗
  17. Pindar.Paeanes, 2
  18. Ritchie Joy (2001)
    Available Means: An Anthology of Women's Rhetoric(s)
     ↗
  19. Robinson Andrew. (2002)
    Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts
  20. Ronald Kate. (2009)
    “Feminist Perspectives on the History of Rhetoric.”
  21. Stillwell Richard (1976)
    McAllister
  22. Suetonius
  23. Domitianus
  24. Dittenberger W. (1960)
    Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum
  25. Ventris Michael (1959)
    Documents in Mycenaean Greek
  26. Walker Jeffrey. (2011)
    The Genuine Teachers of This Art: Rhetorical Education in Antiquity
  27. Wareh Tarik.
    The Theory and Practice of Life: Isocrates & the Philosophers
  28. Winsbury Rex.
    The Roman Book: Books, Publishing and Performance in Classical Rome
CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Advances in the History of Rhetoric May 2016
    An Essay on Current Quintilian Studies in English, With a Select Bibliography of Items Published Since 1990 ↗
    James J. Murphy
    classical rhetoric modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy teacher development argument grammar and mechanics literacy studies gender and writing public rhetoric literary studies editorial matter
  2. College Composition and Communication Dec 1992
    Rereading the Sophists: Classical Rhetoric Refigured ↗
    James D. Williams; Susan C. Jarratt
    classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy teacher development argument literacy studies gender and writing public rhetoric literary studies
  3. Pedagogy Oct 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy advanced composition creative writing writing across the curriculum graduate education two-year college service learning teacher development technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions archival research multimodality artificial intelligence literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  4. Pedagogy Apr 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism african american rhetorics cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing graduate education two-year college teacher development writing centers technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions digital rhetoric multimodality social media literacy studies race and writing gender and writing community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  5. Composition Forum Mar 2025
    A Data Feminist Pedagogy for Composing the Rhetorical Life of Statistics ↗
    rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy literacy studies gender and writing