The earliest rhetoricians, the Sophists flourished in ancient Greece and Athens as teachers of wisdom and how to properly and persuasively present an argument or prove a point to an audience – particularly in speech and writing. Outsiders to the Athenians and Greeks, the Sophists were welcomed with thirst for enlightenment by some or with opposition by others. Roughly considered a community, though in reality just a common movement of individuals who had a few teachings in common, the Sophists had much to offer their new audience. Aside from the aforementioned wisdom and rhetorical speech and writing, they centered these teachings around civic and economic success which was held in high esteem by the Greeks. It seems to me that the Sophists were well aware of this greed for higher civic or political ability or success as well as that for an increase in net worth, and they played upon it extremely well. They observed this desire particularly among the growing middle class, as its members were growing tired of the highest class holding all of the political offices, being in possession of much money, and because of their wealth being able to further their education. However, as this middle class grew, they gained the ability to buy for themselves instruction by the new guys in town, and by their subsequent increase in knowledge, rhetorical understanding, and the wealth that came after were able to rise to positions of authority if not in government, then among scholars. If anything these Sophists were salesmen at heart, and their earnings were worth the migration. They also received much resentment by some, mainly the upper class who saw their coming as an invasion to attempt to mold the broad political mindset of their government’s people to their own and slowly manipulate them into selling themselves completely into their control. This was a radical thought, but in this day in which conquering other nations was the norm, it isn’t too far out of a consideration. All in all, the Sophists seem to me to have been wise men of a thorough understanding of a broad range of areas (their expertise being in presenting oneself and one’s arguments in a rhetorical manner as well as in developing a broad understanding of the world around them by devotion to many subjects and their connection to one another) who took advantage of a situation to enhance their abilities by teaching them to others as well as to prosper economically and in recognition. An interesting group of individuals, as few in this day and age devote themselves solely to enhancing personal wisdom, teaching it, and being creative enough to use that which they are best at to profit from.
The Sophists differ from today’s college professors in that they did not pin themselves down to one area of study, but instead ensured their adeptness in every area as to be the most influential and well rounded individual they could be. They are similar in the respect that they both devote their work to passing on knowledge and skills through teaching students who repay them in monetary value. If these guys were still around today, they would probably be viewed as a cult, as the nature teachings would most likely lend to becoming clannish.