Lives of the Sophists

The Lives of the Sophists is a work by Flavius Philostratus, a Greek writer of the Roman imperial period. The book discusses both the Sophists of the 5th century BCE and later philosophers and rhetoricians of the Second Sophistic, a term Philostratus coined for the practice of Greek declamation in the Roman Empire.1

Sophists were Greek lecturers, writers, and teachers in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE who offered instruction in various subjects for fees. They were prominent in Athens, teaching young men rhetoric and public speaking, which was crucial for political careers in the Athenian democracy. The Sophists also taught subjects like grammar, morality, history, poetry, music, mathematics, astronomy, and physical sciences.23

While some Sophists were accused of teaching that truth was unimportant compared to winning arguments, others genuinely explored complex situations. Their emphasis on human beings and society led them to reject traditional religious beliefs and view history as a progression from savagery to civilization. A key Sophistic tenet was that virtue could be taught, challenging the idea that it was solely inherited by birth.45