ABSTRACT
The advocate was the central element in the Roman courtroom, the lynchpin between the various participants; through him the litigant spoke, with him the opposing counsel argued, and by him the audience was moved and the judge(s) persuaded. While litigants initiated all cases and were the ones most affected, having to endure the consequences of the process and the ruling, within the courtroom they were not the focus of attention. Then, as now, the far more visible and active participant was the advocate and so, in most ancient accounts of cases, the advocates rather than the litigants receive much more attention. The spotlight was upon the visible contest between the opposing advocates.
