This conference explores how ancient physicians constructed, negotiated, and projected authority within their intellectual and social worlds. By examining a wide range of medical and philosophical texts, it investigates the strategies through which practitioners positioned themselves as reliable experts, from claims of specialized knowledge and technical skill to appeals to tradition, innovation, or divine sanction. Contributions will address how authors shaped their public personas—whether as healers, teachers, or theorists—and how these self-presentations served to legitimize their methods, bolster credibility, or distinguish them from rivals. Particular attention will be given to rhetorical techniques, narrative framing, and the use of polemic as instruments of authority formation. Through interdisciplinary perspectives, the conference aims to shed new light on the dynamics of expertise in antiquity, revealing the diverse pathways by which medical and philosophical practitioners fashioned authoritative voices and secured their standing within competitive intellectual landscapes.
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