Why the sophists considered as forerunners of niglism and relativism?

Sophists are considered forerunners of nihilism and relativism because they challenged the existence of absolute truths and objective moral standards, arguing instead that knowledge and morality are subjective and dependent on individual perspectives. They emphasized the importance of rhetoric and persuasion, suggesting that truth could be shaped by language and context rather than being a fixed entity. This focus on relativism undermined the traditional views of truth and ethics, paving the way for later philosophical explorations of nihilism, which questions the inherent meaning or value of life and existence.