Speeches in Dio Cassius

Andriy Fomin

Jump to Content

Speeches in Dio Cassius

In: Cassius Dio: Greek Intellectual and Roman Politician

Author:

Andriy Fomin

Andriy Fomin
Search for other papers by Andriy Fomin in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 217–237

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004335318_013

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€42.00€35.00 excl. VAT

Add to Cart

Redeem Access Token

Abstract

This paper revisits the traditional dichotomy in interpretation of speeches in Cassius Dio: are they just rhetorical commonplaces or do they truly represent the author’s own views? On the basis of comparative evidence and an observation of tendencies in Cassius Dio’s use of speeches (and also some general methodological principles employed by him), this paper reassesses the influence of rhetoric on Dio’s work. In the spirit of Dio’s time, speeches in Ῥωμαϊκά are abundant, elaborated, and reach the highest level not only of abstraction but also of rhetorical sophistication. In his work, Dio quaintly combined, but at the same time strictly differentiated, two discourses: historical and literary (i.e. factual and rhetorical). Harmonious coexistence of these two modes of discourse in Dio’s historical work is only possible when his reader is aware of the system of markers which signify the switch from one mode of narration to another. The paper places Dio’s historiography in the context of pedagogical standards and standards of learnedness of the Second Sophistic. It addresses the questions of convention and innovation, and also intended audience of Dio’s Ῥωμαϊκά.

Citation Info

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share link with colleague or librarian

You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://brill.edhh.ma/abstract/book/9789004335318/B9789004335318_013.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Cassius Dio: Greek Intellectual and Roman Politician

Series: Historiography of Rome and Its Empire, Volume: 1

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004335318

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 01 Jan 2016

Subjects
- Classical Studies
  - Ancient History
  - Greek & Latin Literature
- History
  - General

Metrics

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	276	116	7
Full Text Views	22	3	0
PDF Views & Downloads	45	5	0

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Speeches in Dio Cassius

Abstract

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Cassius Dio: Greek Intellectual and Roman Politician

Table of Contents

Metrics

Metrics