Second Sophistic
The term Second Sophistic refers to a specific group of Greek writers who flourished from the reign of Nero until approximately 230 AD. Philostratus catalogued and celebrated these figures in his work titled Lives of the Sophists. Recent research indicates that this movement had its roots in the early 1st century rather than appearing abruptly in the late 1st century as previously thought. This literary-historical term describes a period when oratorical elements dealing with the first sophists of Greece were reintroduced to the Roman Empire. The province of Asia embraced the Second Sophistic more than any other region during this time.
Nicetes of Smyrna stands as the earliest representative of this movement in the late 1st century AD. While Philostratus traces the beginnings of the movement back to the orator Aeschines in the 4th century BC, modern scholarship points to Nicetes for actual historical origins. The year 146 BC marks the moment Romans conquered one of the first civilized empires in the West. Ancient Greece is known for its rich culture, mythology, technology and intellect. After the civilization fell to the Roman conquest, the emerging empire began to grow following many traditions of the Greeks. In the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, a renaissance of Hellenic oratory and education captivated the Roman elites.
Owing largely to the influence of Plato and Aristotle, philosophy came to be regarded as distinct from sophistry by the time of the Roman Empire. The latter was viewed as specious and rhetorical, serving as a practical discipline rather than abstract thought. Libanius, Himerius, Aelius Aristides, and Fronto were sophists who taught rhetoric and spoke publicly. They did not teach debate or anything that had to do with politics because rhetoric was restrained due to imperial government rules. Thus, by this era, a sophist was simply a teacher of rhetoric and a popular public speaker. Philosophy without eloquence was nowhere compared to the popularity of these experts.
Philostratus describes Asianism as a form that aims at but never achieves the grand style in speech delivery. Its style is more flowery, bombastic, full of startling metaphors, too metrical, and too dependent on tricks of rhetoric. This type of rhetoric is also sometimes referred to as Ionian and Ephesian because it came from outside of Athens. Polemo of Laodicea was the earliest of the trio and the only Asianic orator of Smyrna. In contrast, Atticism is explained by Philostratus as a technique exemplified by the sophist Aelius Aristides. He usually imitates some classical author and aims at simplicity of style while carefully avoiding any allusion or word that does not occur in a writer of the classical period.
The three main centers of sophism were Ephesus, Smyrna and Athens where writers taught and performed. The sophists revitalized these cities bringing wealth, acclaim and foreign interest from around the Empire. Smyrna was an important Greek city in the Empire at this age with two noteworthy sophists educated there. Polemon of Laodicea and Aelius Aristides spent much of their time here studying rhetoric or advocating for its people. Herodes Atticus paved the way for succeeding sophists of Atticism in the great center of Athens. These three eminent connoisseurs of rhetoric were significant sophists of the 2nd century AD who attracted respect from citizens.
Roman Emperors such as Trajan, Hadrian and others held these intellectuals in high esteem during the imperial period. Emperor Hadrian sent his adoptive son Antoninus to study under the acclaimed Polemo in Smyrna. Herodes Atticus received up to three letters a day from Emperor Marcus Aurelius at one point in time. The Emperor also waited three days in Smyrna for the honor of meeting the student of Herodes and Polemo named Aelius Aristides. He then was required to wait one more day before he was allowed to hear him speak. No other type of intellectual could compete with them in popularity among philhellenic Emperors.
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Common questions
What is the Second Sophistic and when did it occur?
The Second Sophistic refers to a specific group of Greek writers who flourished from the reign of Nero until approximately 230 AD. This literary-historical term describes a period when oratorical elements dealing with the first sophists of Greece were reintroduced to the Roman Empire.
Who catalogued the figures of the Second Sophistic movement?
Philostratus catalogued and celebrated these figures in his work titled Lives of the Sophists. While Philostratus traces the beginnings of the movement back to the orator Aeschines in the 4th century BC, modern scholarship points to Nicetes for actual historical origins.
Which region embraced the Second Sophistic more than any other during this time?
The province of Asia embraced the Second Sophistic more than any other region during this time. The three main centers of sophism were Ephesus, Smyrna and Athens where writers taught and performed.
How did philosophy become distinct from sophistry by the time of the Roman Empire?
Owing largely to the influence of Plato and Aristotle, philosophy came to be regarded as distinct from sophistry by the time of the Roman Empire. The latter was viewed as specious and rhetorical, serving as a practical discipline rather than abstract thought.
What are the two main styles of rhetoric within the Second Sophistic movement?
Philostratus describes Asianism as a form that aims at but never achieves the grand style in speech delivery with flowery and bombastic language. In contrast, Atticism is explained by Philostratus as a technique exemplified by the sophist Aelius Aristides who aims at simplicity of style while carefully avoiding any allusion or word that does not occur in a writer of the classical period.