The development of an oratorical literary genre is connected with the work of Antiphon, the first in the canon of ten Attic orators. This paper argues against the modern view that the beginnings of literary oratory date to the 420s B.C. when Antiphon began publishing his speeches. It argues that this view depends on a mistaken conception of literacy in the ancient world and that Antiphon’s speech-writing activities began much earlier. The argument is based on references to Antiphon in contemporary and later sources, the dating of his speeches, the authenticity and dating of the Tetralogies, and Antiphon’s reputation in antiquity as the first logographer.

Research Article| May 01 2000 Alcibiades and Athens: A Study in Literary Presentation Alcibiades and Athens: A Study in Literary Presentation, by David Gribble Michael J. Edwards Michael J. Edwards School of English and Drama, Queen Mary and 'Westfield College, London El 4NS, United Kingdom. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Rhetorica (2000) 18 (2): 218–220. https://doi.org/10.1525/rh.2000.18.2.217 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Michael J. Edwards; Alcibiades and Athens: A Study in Literary Presentation. Rhetorica 1 May 2000; 18 (2): 218–220. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/rh.2000.18.2.217 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentRhetorica Search This content is only available via PDF. Copyright 2000, The International Society for the History of Rhetoric2000 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.