Protagoras the Sophist (left) vs Plato the Philosopher (right). In 5th century BCE Athens the power of speech was crucial, because in a democracy one had to convince others, by way of facts and reason, that a certain course of action was best for the community. Imagine what that meant: for the first time in history an individual (male, not enslaved, of course) could become prominent in the community not because he was rich or strong, or because he descended from an "aristocratic" lineage, but because he argued well.
Imagine what that meant: for the first time in history an individual (male, not enslaved, of course) could become prominent in the community not because he was rich or strong, or because he descended from an "aristocratic" lineage, but because he argued well.