Why Did the Art of Rhetoric Enter into Decline Under

question 59

Multiple Choice

Why did the art of rhetoric enter into decline under the rule of Augustus?

• A) Rhetorical skills no longer played a crucial role in politics, since the emperor's supremacy ruled out political debate in the public sphere.
• B) Augustus altered the educational system so that rhetoric was no longer taught in schools.
• C) Illiteracy rates rose drastically, as Roman expansion throughout the Mediterranean caused the number of slaves to swell.
• D) Rome became so cosmopolitan and multicultural that many Roman subjects in the Augustan period could no longer understand Latin.

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