Rhetoric Before and Beyond the Greeks [Paperback]

These twelve essays, most of which are specially commissioned, move the study of rhetoric away from the more familar world of Greece to examine how rhetoric functioned and differed in earlier cultural settings. Contributors discuss in some depth the rhetoric of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, the Bible and Rhodes (as an alternative to Athens). The final two papers are cross-cultural studies which look at the strategy of ancient persuasion and Near Eastern women's lamentations. The book closes with an extended section, arranged by region, that presents tips and suggestions for teaching ancient rhetorics to students and academics alike. This is supported by the full bibliographies that can be found at the end of each essay.These twelve essays, most of which are specially commissioned, move the study of rhetoric away from the more familar world of Greece to examine how rhetoric functioned and differed in earlier cultural settings. Contributors discuss in some depth the rhetoric of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, the Bible and Rhodes (as an alternative to Athens).