Quintilian was born in Calagurris Spain in 35 AD. His father was a Roman rhetorician, and consequently Quintilian was sent to Rome to be educated in rhetoric. After his education Quintilian returned to Spain to begin a practice as a rhetorician. However, in 68 AD Quintilian was brought back to Rome to begin a career teaching. Of the three works published by Quintilian, only Institutio Oratoria survived.

Quintilian was the first rhetorician to set up a truly public school, he was the first rhetorician to receive an imperial grant. He retired after 20 years of teaching rhetoric, and then published a book on rhetorical pedagogy, Institutio Oratoria .

Quintilian was deeply influenced by Cicero, who was in turn influenced by Isocrates, and many of his ideals on rhetoric and pedagogy follow those of Cicero. Quintilian believed that there was a level at which a rhetorician could achieve perfection, and he came up with 5 objectives that the rhetorician would follow to maintain this level of perfection: protecting the innocent, defending the truth, deterring crime and criminal activities, inspiring the military, and inspiring the public (Institutio Oratoria) . The influence of Institutio Oratoria disappeared around 800 A.D., however it reappeared in the 12 century, and was a strong influence in the middle ages before it disappeared again in the 1100’s. However, its influence on education lasted until the end of the medieval period.

Quintilian advises the teacher to apply different teaching methods according to the different characters and abilities of his pupils, in addition, he believes that the young should enjoy their studies and knows the value of play. He discouraged using undue severity on students and counseled against corporal punishment. “Pupils if rightly instructed regard their teacher with affection and respect. Ad it is scarcely possible to say how much more willingly we imitate those we like.”

Publications

Institutio Oratoria (The Training of an Orator)