Rhetoric at the Margins: a pedagogical note on Sallust’s Historiae 2.92 M.

Abstract

This article examines the role of women in Sallust’s Historiae, focusing on the fragment 2.92 M. By analyzing Sallust’s depiction of women as likely ‘rhetorical actors’, the study highlights how oratory functions as a lens through which gender and power converge. Beyond a mere textual analysis, the article tries to propose new pedagogical approaches for teaching Sallust in contemporary classrooms. These strategies have the potential to encourage students (and teachers) to engage critically with questions of voice, authority, and gender in Roman historiography, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives from rhetoric, gender studies, and reception history.