the best...

The figure that most interests me would have to be Gorgias and his entourage of Sophists. I like it anytime a figure can change history and I believ that's what he did. He sold his knowledge for money. If it weren't for intelligent people whosold their knowledege for money, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. So obviously some of his ideas have stuck around. He may have been shunned at the time and he may have been quite the little caniever, but he changed the way people view rhetoric nonetheless. I suppose that all Classical rhetoricians did, but I like Gorgias the best.
Also, I can appreciate early(and new Rhetoricians) that have applied their knowledge to science as well. I think rhetoric is a science in and of itself. The science of bullstinky, the schience of persuasion, the science of division. I do like Gorgias a lot though. He was the man with the plan--workin' for the man...