Background: Cicero was a statesman, philosopher and orator in the final years of the Roman republic. During periods of enforced retirement from public office he was a prolific writer. He promoted the ideal of the statesman-philosopher who uses knowledge to guide human affairs. The best preparation for this role he saw as a liberal education in which the art of persuasion was developed through the study of philosophy and rhetoric. Memory training was an integral part of rhetoric.

Cicero believed that a liberal education, including philosophy and rhetoric, was the best preparation for guiding human affairs and that memory training was an integral part of rhetoric.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

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