Advances in the History of Rhetoric Jan 2018

Situating Deliberative Rhetoric in Ancient Greece: The Bouleutêrion as a Venue for Oratorical Performance

Christopher Lyle Johnstone Pennsylvania State University ; Richard J. Graff

Abstract

ABSTRACT Our understanding of the origins and early development of Greek rhetoric can be enlarged and sharpened by attending to the specific historical, cultural, and material contexts in which it was embedded. We perceive the cultural meanings and physical challenges of Greek rhetorical practice only to the extent that we consider the actual places and spaces in which it unfolded. This study examines and assesses the bouleutêrion (council house) as a venue for oratorical performance in the ancient Greek world, surveying a range of such buildings and describing their historical contexts, physical settings and configurations, and suitability as oratorical venues.

Journal
Advances in the History of Rhetoric
Published
2018-01-02
DOI
10.1080/15362426.2018.1419744
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Topics
classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism
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