ABSTRACT
The study of communication is not a modern invention. This chapter traces the history of communication study in the Western tradition, from its origins in ancient Greece and Rome to its current incarnation as an academic discipline in American universities. The chapter begins with a discussion of the rhetorical works of Aristotle and Plato in Greece and moves on to Rome, where the first model of communication, the canons of rhetoric, was developed. Concepts of rhetoric in the classical medieval and Renaissance periods, as well as the emergence of modern rhetoric are described as are the contributions of figures like Cicero, Quintilian, Augustine, and Francis Bacon. The impact of the scientific method on contemporary attitudes toward communication study is also examined. The chapter encourages students to place themselves in a long line of individuals intrigued by the practical and theoretical importance of understanding and mastering the art of communication. The chapter ends with a brief overview of some careers currently open to specialists in communication.
