The term 'Second Sophistic' is a literary-historical term referring to the Greek writers who flourished from the reign of Nero until c. 230 AD. It comes from Philostratus' Lives of the Sophists, recalling the original Sophistic movement of the 5th century BC. Although Philostratus traced the beginnings of the movement to the orator Aeschines in the 4th century BC, its earliest representative is considered to be Nicetes of Smyrna, in the late 1st century AD.
As the emerging Roman Empire began to grow, the Romans incorporated Greek culture into their society and imperial life. There was a renaissance of earlier Hellenic culture and education practices, including of Greek first sophist oratory and other practices, such as public speaking, which captivated the Roman elites.
This renaissance of Hellenic culture enabled Greeks to become a prominent aspect of Roman society while still retaining their cultural identity; and the sophistic movement provided a way for the Romans to legitimate themselves as civilized intellectuals and associate themselves with an old imperial pre-eminence.
There was even an element of adapting a similar religious cult.
Revival of the use and value of higher education in the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD saw a renewed emphasis on rhetoric and oratory. Elites sent their sons to be educated in schools developed by these sophists. eg., the Emperor Hadrian sent his adoptive son Antoninus to study under the acclaimed Polemo in Smyrna.
But, unlike the original Sophistic movement of the 5th century BC, there was little political rhetoric as it was restrained by imperial government's rules.
Writers known as members of the Second Sophistic include Nicetes of Smyrna, Aelius Aristides, Dio Chrysostom, Herodes Atticus, Favorinus, Philostratus, Lucian, and Polemon of Laodicea; +/- Plutarch.
Oratorical styles
There were two different oratory styles of sophism that developed out of the period of enlightenment: Asianism and Atticism.
Asianism
Philostratus describes Asianism as a form that "[...] aims at but never achieves the grand style". He adds that its style is more "flowery, bombastic, full of startling metaphors, too metrical, too dependent on the tricks of rhetoric, too emotional". This type of rhetoric is also sometimes referred to as "Ionian" and "Ephesian", because it came from outside of Athens.
Atticism
The other mode of rhetoric, Atticism, is explained by Philostratus as technique that is exemplified by the sophist Aelius Aristides. He describes Aristides as one who "usually imitates some classical author, aims at simplicity of style, and is a purist, carefully avoiding any allusion or word that does not occur in a writer of the classical period". Atticism drew from Greece’s rich past and originated in its illustrious city of Athens. The lectures and declamations of these sophists were based more upon preparation and the studying of information. Having this basis, they were then able to speak adeptly to their audiences. The sophists generally gave their discourses in Rome or one of three major sophist centres.
Centres and key figures
The three main centers of sophism were: Ephesus, Smyrna and Athens. The sophists revitalized these cities bringing in wealth, acclaim and foreign interest from around the Empire.
Smyrna was an important Greek city in the Empire at this age. Two noteworthy sophists, Polemon of Laodicea and Aelius Aristides, were educated and taught in this center, attracting the respect of its citizens. They also invited the attention or patronage of Roman Emperors such as Trajan and Marcus Aurelius ... Another esteemed sophist in the 2nd century, Herodes Atticus, paved the way for succeeding sophists of Atticism in the great center of Athens ...
Polemo of Laodicea was the earliest of the trio. He was born in approximately 85 AD and is the only Asianic orator of Smyrna. Like so many of the other sophists, Polemo came from a ranked family. He, therefore, had connections and status with the local administration and it was easy for him to thrive in political and social aspects ... he was quite popular and venerated in Rome as well. He acted as a sort of advocate for his area. Polemo found a great deal of favor in the eyes of the Emperors Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus.
The Roman elites and Emperors valued the approval and sponsorship of acclaimed sophists. Herodes Atticus, at one point in time, received up to three letters a day from Emperor Marcus Aurelius.[11] The Emperor also waited three days in Smyrna for the honor of meeting the student of Herodes and Polemo, Aelius Aristides.[12] He then was required to wait one more day, before he was allowed to hear him speak.[12]
It seems that the association and a positive close relationship with these experts of rhetoric were coveted by these imperial officials. The sophists were held with high regard by those in surrounding regions and even by Roman elites and bureaucrats. “No other type of intellectual could compete with them in popularity, no creative artists existed to challenge their prestige at the courts of philhellenic Emperors, and though the sophists often show jealousy of the philosophers, philosophy without eloquence was nowhere” [Philostratus].
The Greek word σοφός, sophos, 'a wise man,' related to the noun σοφία, sophia, 'wisdom,' gave rise to the verb σοφίζω, sophizo, 'to instruct / make learned', the passive voice of which means "to become or be wise", or "to be clever or skilled". From the verb was derived the noun σοφιστής, sophistes, which originally meant "a master of one's craft" and later "a prudent man" or "wise man".
There were, in the First Sophistic, at least, meteorosophists (experts in celestial phenomena); gymnosophists ("naked sophists"); deipnosophists, or "dinner sophist" (as in the title of Athenaeus's Deipnosophistae); and, in the later Roman period, iatrosophists (a type of physician).
As the emerging Roman Empire began to grow, the Romans incorporated Greek culture into their society and imperial life. There was a renaissance of earlier Hellenic culture and education practices, including of Greek first sophist oratory and other practices, such as public speaking, which captivated the Roman elites.
This renaissance of Hellenic culture enabled Greeks to become a prominent aspect of Roman society while still retaining their cultural identity; and the sophistic movement provided a way for the Romans to legitimate themselves as civilized intellectuals and associate themselves with an old imperial pre-eminence.
There was even an element of adapting a similar religious cult.
Revival of the use and value of higher education in the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD saw a renewed emphasis on rhetoric and oratory. Elites sent their sons to be educated in schools developed by these sophists. eg., the Emperor Hadrian sent his adoptive son Antoninus to study under the acclaimed Polemo in Smyrna.
But, unlike the original Sophistic movement of the 5th century BC, there was little political rhetoric as it was restrained by imperial government's rules.
Writers known as members of the Second Sophistic include Nicetes of Smyrna, Aelius Aristides, Dio Chrysostom, Herodes Atticus, Favorinus, Philostratus, Lucian, and Polemon of Laodicea; +/- Plutarch.
The practice and teachings were modelled after the Athenian vocabulary of 400 BC, as well as the Hellenic traditions of that time. The sophists were great lecturers and declaimers who esteemed to address various issues of political, economic and social importance. Thus, they served a vast array of positions from educational and social leaders, to ambassadors, Imperial Secretaries and high priests. In these orders, they won the favor of Emperors who would restore their eastern centers of intellect. Some, such as Lucian, heavily favored Atticism while others, such as Plutarch, favored the Greek of their day: Koine Greek. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_So ... of_sophist
Oratorical styles
There were two different oratory styles of sophism that developed out of the period of enlightenment: Asianism and Atticism.
Asianism
Philostratus describes Asianism as a form that "[...] aims at but never achieves the grand style". He adds that its style is more "flowery, bombastic, full of startling metaphors, too metrical, too dependent on the tricks of rhetoric, too emotional". This type of rhetoric is also sometimes referred to as "Ionian" and "Ephesian", because it came from outside of Athens.
Atticism
The other mode of rhetoric, Atticism, is explained by Philostratus as technique that is exemplified by the sophist Aelius Aristides. He describes Aristides as one who "usually imitates some classical author, aims at simplicity of style, and is a purist, carefully avoiding any allusion or word that does not occur in a writer of the classical period". Atticism drew from Greece’s rich past and originated in its illustrious city of Athens. The lectures and declamations of these sophists were based more upon preparation and the studying of information. Having this basis, they were then able to speak adeptly to their audiences. The sophists generally gave their discourses in Rome or one of three major sophist centres.
Centres and key figures
The three main centers of sophism were: Ephesus, Smyrna and Athens. The sophists revitalized these cities bringing in wealth, acclaim and foreign interest from around the Empire.
Smyrna was an important Greek city in the Empire at this age. Two noteworthy sophists, Polemon of Laodicea and Aelius Aristides, were educated and taught in this center, attracting the respect of its citizens. They also invited the attention or patronage of Roman Emperors such as Trajan and Marcus Aurelius ... Another esteemed sophist in the 2nd century, Herodes Atticus, paved the way for succeeding sophists of Atticism in the great center of Athens ...
Polemo of Laodicea was the earliest of the trio. He was born in approximately 85 AD and is the only Asianic orator of Smyrna. Like so many of the other sophists, Polemo came from a ranked family. He, therefore, had connections and status with the local administration and it was easy for him to thrive in political and social aspects ... he was quite popular and venerated in Rome as well. He acted as a sort of advocate for his area. Polemo found a great deal of favor in the eyes of the Emperors Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus.
The Roman elites and Emperors valued the approval and sponsorship of acclaimed sophists. Herodes Atticus, at one point in time, received up to three letters a day from Emperor Marcus Aurelius.[11] The Emperor also waited three days in Smyrna for the honor of meeting the student of Herodes and Polemo, Aelius Aristides.[12] He then was required to wait one more day, before he was allowed to hear him speak.[12]
It seems that the association and a positive close relationship with these experts of rhetoric were coveted by these imperial officials. The sophists were held with high regard by those in surrounding regions and even by Roman elites and bureaucrats. “No other type of intellectual could compete with them in popularity, no creative artists existed to challenge their prestige at the courts of philhellenic Emperors, and though the sophists often show jealousy of the philosophers, philosophy without eloquence was nowhere” [Philostratus].
The Greek word σοφός, sophos, 'a wise man,' related to the noun σοφία, sophia, 'wisdom,' gave rise to the verb σοφίζω, sophizo, 'to instruct / make learned', the passive voice of which means "to become or be wise", or "to be clever or skilled". From the verb was derived the noun σοφιστής, sophistes, which originally meant "a master of one's craft" and later "a prudent man" or "wise man".
There were, in the First Sophistic, at least, meteorosophists (experts in celestial phenomena); gymnosophists ("naked sophists"); deipnosophists, or "dinner sophist" (as in the title of Athenaeus's Deipnosophistae); and, in the later Roman period, iatrosophists (a type of physician).
Statistics: Posted by MrMacSon — Mon Nov 04, 2024 11:59 pm