Isocrates (436–338 BC)

Greek rhetorician and one of the ten Attic orators. His fame principally rests on a political pamphlet, the ‘Panegyric’, in which he advocates Greek unity and supremacy. He was a professional speechwriter and teacher of rhetoric, but because of his weak voice and extreme shyness, he never spoke in the courts or addressed a public meeting. Other published works include the manifesto ‘Against the Sophists’.

Born in Athens, he was the son of a wealthy flute manufacturer. He received a good education, and when the Peloponnesian War ruined his family, he set up as a teacher. He quickly rose to fame, and made a fortune that ranked him among the wealthiest citizens.