2 - The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy

Known chiefly from sources related to democratic Athens, the Sophists emerge from the competitive ethos of aristocratic Greek society. The impetus for the Sophistic movement was the transformation of social and political relations within the Greek world following the defeat of Xerxes. These changes were most dramatically felt and best recorded at Athens. The phenomenal wealth of fifth-century Athens increased the number of Athenians aspiring to an aristocratic lifestyle and intensified the competition for social recognition and for preeminence in politics. Verbal dexterity was a key attribute in the pursuit of such standing. Sophists attracted students by promising to impart such skills in the young men of wealthy families. The turmoil of war in the late fifth century encouraged some of those influenced by Sophists to turn toward oligarchic revolution at Athens, tainting the reputation of Sophistic learning, leading to the condemnation of Socrates for his engagement with these self-proclaimed teachers of political virtue and wisdom.

Munn, Mark. “The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy.” The Cambridge Companion to the Sophists. Ed. Joshua Billings and Christopher Moore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023. 69–97. Print. Cambridge Companions to Philosophy.

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Work Title 2 - The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Mark Munn
Keyword
  1. Sophists
  2. Athens
  3. Education
  4. Democracy
  5. Aristocracy
  6. Socrates
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Part Of Book
Publisher
  1. Cambridge University Press
Publication Date December 23, 2023
Subject
  1. Ancient Greek history and philosophy
Language
  1. English
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108859639.003
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Deposited November 12, 2024

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Version 1
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  • Updated Keyword, Subject, Language, and 6 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Sophists, Athens, education, democracy, aristocracy, Socrates
    Subject
    • Ancient Greek history and philosophy
    Language
    • English
    Publisher
    • Cambridge University Press
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108859639
    Subtitle
    • The Cambridge Companion to the Sophists, pp. 69-97
    Description
    • The fifth-century sophists were teachers of diverse skills intended to impart intellectual and cultural traits that would distinguish their students among their peers. An outgrowth of aristocratic society of the archaic period and fueled by the access to wealth of a wider segment of Greek society, especially at imperial Athens, the sophists were both admired and ridiculed by society at large for their elitist ways, which sometimes actually supported anti-democratic movements.
    Publication Date
    • 2023
    Publisher's Statement
    • J. Billings and C. Moore, editors
  • Added Creator Mark Munn
  • Added Munn 2023, The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy.pdf
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    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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  • Updated Work Title Show Changes
    Work Title
    • Sophists Between Aristocracy and Democracy
    • 2 - The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy
  • Updated Keyword, Subtitle, Publisher Identifier (DOI), and 4 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Sophists, Athens, education, democracy, aristocracy, Socrates
    • Sophists, Athens, Education, Democracy, Aristocracy, Socrates
    Subtitle
    • The Cambridge Companion to the Sophists, pp. 69-97
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108859639
    • https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108859639.003
    Description
    • The fifth-century sophists were teachers of diverse skills intended to impart intellectual and cultural traits that would distinguish their students among their peers. An outgrowth of aristocratic society of the archaic period and fueled by the access to wealth of a wider segment of Greek society, especially at imperial Athens, the sophists were both admired and ridiculed by society at large for their elitist ways, which sometimes actually supported anti-democratic movements.
    • Known chiefly from sources related to democratic Athens, the Sophists emerge from the competitive ethos of aristocratic Greek society. The impetus for the Sophistic movement was the transformation of social and political relations within the Greek world following the defeat of Xerxes. These changes were most dramatically felt and best recorded at Athens. The phenomenal wealth of fifth-century Athens increased the number of Athenians aspiring to an aristocratic lifestyle and intensified the competition for social recognition and for preeminence in politics. Verbal dexterity was a key attribute in the pursuit of such standing. Sophists attracted students by promising to impart such skills in the young men of wealthy families. The turmoil of war in the late fifth century encouraged some of those influenced by Sophists to turn toward oligarchic revolution at Athens, tainting the reputation of Sophistic learning, leading to the condemnation of Socrates for his engagement with these self-proclaimed teachers of political virtue and wisdom.
    • Munn, Mark. “The Sophists between Aristocracy and Democracy.” The Cambridge Companion to the Sophists. Ed. Joshua Billings and Christopher Moore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023. 69–97. Print. Cambridge Companions to Philosophy.
    Related URLs
    • https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108859639
    Publication Date
    • 2023
    • 2023-12-23
    Publisher's Statement
    • J. Billings and C. Moore, editors