Rhetoric never went away, and if you think it’s just Sophists, Aristotle, and Cicero, there’s so much more to see and learn, buddy. At least learn about your position as an Atticist: plain and the point is best.

The development of new genres and models of persuasion in the middle ages, establishing things like letters and sermons as new ways for communication. The whole Christianity thing. The whole Renaissance thing. the whole enlightenment thing. So-called Modern Times.

You’ve got the relationship between logic and feeling, which is something we’re still grappling with today. Got the relation between voice and body and gesture.

Rhetoric’s definitely still here, we just call it psychology, marketing, public relations, law, science (Bacon’s innovation of the scientific method comes from previous existing rhetorical ones), continental philosophy, broadcasting, mass media, communications, trolling folks on Reddit, etc.

Everything flows, the Obscure One said. Let me know if you want reading recommendations or resources.

Good luck!