Dionysius Longinus

Dionysius Longinus was a Greek rhetorician, philosopher, and literary critic, best known for his work On the Sublime (Peri Hypsous), one of the most important texts of ancient aesthetics. This treatise explores the concept of the “sublime” in the art of rhetoric — the expressive power that evokes awe and deep emotion. Although the author’s true identity remains uncertain, Longinus is considered a forerunner of literary criticism and has exerted a profound influence on Western rhetorical and aesthetic theory.