Rhetoric is once again becoming valued as an essential element in the exploration of the ancient world. This volume is part of a general renaissance in the study of rhetoric and draws together established and newer scholars in the field to produce a probing and innovative analysis of the role played by rhetoric in Roman culture. Utilizing a variety of critical approaches and methodologies, the contributors examine not only the role of rhetoric in Roman society but also the relationship between rhetoric and Rome's major literary genres. Roman Eloquence emphasizes the theory and practice of rhetoric in a variety of social, political and literary contexts, and reveals the important role played by rhetoric in the formation of the various genres of literatures.