On the Arrangement of Words

work by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

Also known as: “De compositione verborum”, “Peri syntheseos onomaton”(Show More)

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July 1, 2026

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"On the Arrangement of Words" is an essay by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric who lived around 20 BC. This work is notable as the only surviving ancient discussion specifically on word order. Dionysius, who migrated to Rome, used his historical and rhetorical writings to explain Roman culture to Greeks. While considered a mediocre historian, he was a skilled literary critic, analyzing authors' styles and historical contexts. The essay "On the Arrangement of Words" likely served as a practical demonstration of rhetorical principles.1

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Dionysius of Halicarnassus
…essay “Peri syntheseos onomaton” (“On the Arrangement of Words”; often cited by its Latin title, “De compositione verborum”) is the only extant ancient discussion of word order. Dionysius was a mediocre historian but a first-rate literary critic who examined authors’ style and historical context.
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…essay “Peri syntheseos onomaton” (“On the Arrangement of Words”; often cited by its Latin title, “De compositione verborum”) is the only extant ancient discussion of word order. Dionysius was a mediocre historian but a first-rate literary critic who examined authors’ style and historical context.
Read More