Rhetoric

"Rhetoric is the study and practice of effective symbolic expression ." It was originally taught as an oral and written discourse in Ancient Athens and Rome. Aristotle defines it as the "power of finding arguments to inform decisions ." Today it has become one of the most important topics at many colleges and universities. Across the world, rhetoric is utilized in courtrooms, capitol buildings, churches, and even hallways.

Ancient Greece
The systematic study of oratory became important during the shift from aristocractic rule to democracy in Ancient Greece. Any free adult male living in the Greek city-states had the power to participate in this new style of government. To excel in the democratic world, speaking effectively in public was essential. The systematic approach to teaching oratory in Athens and other Greek city-states became a successful profession for many practitioners of rhetoric known as Sophists.