Why did the oratory of the Second Sophistic movement have little political function?

The oratory of the Second Sophistic movement had little political function because it emerged and operated under the dominance of the Roman Empire, which fundamentally altered the landscape of public discourse. Unlike the earlier era of Greek democracy, where persuasive speech was a vital tool for political debate in assemblies and legal defense in courts, the establishment of imperial rule removed the necessity for such oratory in governance.12

Consequently, the movement’s oratory was designed primarily to instruct or entertain an audience rather than to influence policy or state affairs. It functioned as a backward-looking, cultural revival that prioritized the mastery of elaborate rhetorical rules and the study of classical Athenian poets and prose writers. Because the political setting that once demanded high-stakes public speaking had faded, the movement focused on aesthetic and educational goals, effectively separating the art of rhetoric from its former role in active political life.12