Greek rhetorical exercises and philostratus' Love Letters

Abstract

Greek rhetoric played a fundamental role in the educational system and during the Imperial Age it became increasingly important. This rhetorical training was transferred and survived intensely in the compositional techniques, and literary works reflect this imprint of rhetorical practices. Given the status of Greek politics, society and culture at that time, the public appreciated to recognize those forms and themes that the authors had learned in the schools, since it was a sign of erudition and mastery of the Classical Age. That influence is illustrated in this study through the presence of certain school exercises in the composition of Philostratus’ Love Letters. This Philostratus is probably the author of Gymnasticus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana and Lives of the Sophists, among other works. He carried out his sophistic and literary activities from the end of the 2nd century to the beginning of the 3rd.