Why Ancient Rhetoric Still Matters

In a world full of political communication yet starved of proper political debate, a return to the ancient rhetorical principles for producing passionate and persuasive speeches provides a plausible solution. But is our understanding of ancient rhetoric correct, and what does rhetoric mean today?

In this lecture, Professor Henriette van der Blom challenges the standard picture of the ancient orator and the role of rhetoric in contemporary society, and she offers new ways to think about and engage with public speech and persuasive argument to the benefit of us all and our democratic states.

Professor van der Blom's visit is supported by the Classics Trust Fund, the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies and the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne.