Who is the invention of rhetoric associated with?

Most scholars believe it was the philosopher Aristotle, in ancient Greece, who created what we know today as "rhetoric." Back then, the Word was derived from the Greek Word for the "art of an orator." (An orator was a skillful public speaker, generally male, who was especially talented at persuading people of his point of view.) In Aristotle's time, "rhetoric" referred not just to being a great public speaker but also to being able to use logical proofs to persuade listeners, and then win them over to your side. But today the Word has developed a more negative connotation: it often refers to political speech which is misleading or manipulative.