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That Tyrant, Persuasion: How Rhetoric Shaped the Roman World Hardcover – March 1, 2022

by J. E. Lendon (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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How rhetorical training influenced deeds as well as words in the Roman Empire

The assassins of Julius Caesar cried out that they had killed a tyrant, and days later their colleagues in the Senate proposed rewards for this act of tyrannicide. The killers and their supporters spoke as if they were following a well-known script. They were. Their education was chiefly in rhetoric and as boys they would all have heard and given speeches on a ubiquitous set of themes—including one asserting that “he who kills a tyrant shall receive a reward from the city.” In That Tyrant, Persuasion, J. E. Lendon explores how rhetorical education in the Roman world influenced not only the words of literature but also momentous deeds: the killing of Julius Caesar, what civic buildings and monuments were built, what laws were made, and, ultimately, how the empire itself should be run.

Presenting a new account of Roman rhetorical education and its surprising practical consequences, That Tyrant, Persuasion shows how rhetoric created a grandiose imaginary world for the Roman ruling elite—and how they struggled to force the real world to conform to it. Without rhetorical education, the Roman world would have been unimaginably different.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    328 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Princeton University Press
  4. Publication date
    March 1, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0691221006
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0691221007
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year"

"That Tyrant, Persuasion. . . breaks new ground by tracing the influence of rhetoric on public life. . . . drawing on vast erudition, Lendon writes beautifully. He deserves to be widely read."---Brian Vickers, Times Literary Supplement

"A delightful and stimulating book. . . . A crisp and propulsive read."---Catherine Steel, Sehepunkte

"Witty and frank."---Christopher Farnese, New England Classical Review

"A scholarly, balanced, and stimulating study."---R. T. Ingoglia, Choice

Review

“This is an original and significant book with a seemingly effortless combination of knowledge and readability. Arguing that the rhetorical education of the ancient Roman elite had a pervasive influence on their actions, That Tyrant, Persuasion treats readers to thought-provoking accounts of Roman monuments, Roman law, and even the murder of Julius Caesar.”—Henriette van der Blom, University of Birmingham

“Lendon guides us once again into the deepest recesses of the Roman elite mind, revealing a set of springs and gears that caused the real world to tick; but this was a movement that had been flawlessly regulated by the professor of rhetoric. No wonder, then, that a flesh-and-blood dictator, Julius Caesar, was handled just like all the fantastical tyrants whom Brutus and his companions had spent their school days dutifully and heroically eliminating. This book is a must-read for all who want to understand why a Roman aristocrat thought, said, and, ultimately, did what he did.”—Michael Peachin, New York University

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press (March 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0691221006
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0691221007
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

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J. E. Lendon

J. E. Lendon

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
6 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Madeline Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful piece on culture
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
Although some sections are not engaging for a general reader, the theory section and case of the assassination of Caesar are interesting to any comparativist
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Russell E. Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely read on an unexpected topic
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2022
Verified Purchase
J. E. Lendon's books should be read by anyone who wants to see good writing in action. And this book lives up to the others that came before. His mastery of the written word is matched by his mastery of the historical sources, and his historical imagination as as agile as the greats of the 19th century. In fact, this book reads like a classic of 19th century historiography--except that it, unlike those older works, may well stand the test of time a little better. It's a book for people who already know something about ancient Rome, which clearly isn't everybody. And for those who are students of good writing, which should be everybody. An enthusiastic 5 stars.
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