SERVILIA: Before the invention of the printing press in the 15th century,  the only way to communicate something to a large audience was, well, saying it out loud: the spoken word.

RALPH: So it’s not surprising that in ancient Rome, oratory -- the art of persuasion through public speaking -- was a highly valued skill.

SERVILIA: And to be effective in an era before microphones and TV cameras, public speakers in ancient Rome had to put on a good show - whether they were addressing a large crowd of common people, or an assembly of hundreds of elite senators.

RALPH: The most renowned orator at the time of Julius Caesar was named Cicero. His rousing speeches combined elegant language, compelling logic, extensive cultural knowledge, and a sharp wit in order to entertain, persuade, and sometimes criticize his fellow senators.

SERVILIA: But the Senate was not the only place in Ancient Rome for public speaking. In open areas throughout the city there were raised platforms for speeches to crowds, which Shakespeare refers to as the “common pulpits”.

RALPH: These were used by officials and politicians to announce important events, or to try to gain support for proposed laws, or to campaign during election time.  

SERVILIA: The majority of senators were elitist; they had a pretty low opinion of the common people and regarded them with a certain amount of disdain.

RALPH: However there was a group of politically savvy senators who realized the power of support from the people. These “populares”, as they were called, not only supported measures favored by the working classes, but they adopted a way to public speaking - an oratorical style - which catered to this less educated audience.

SERVILIA: Both Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony were populares, and they were great at their job: their ability to sway the opinions of the common people of Rome plays an important role in Shakespeare’s story.