The notion of topos(oi) has obtained notable consideration from both argumentation and discourse studies, albeit its usage and meaning stay unclear. This paper asserts that the rediscovery of Aristotelian thought might supply an intelligible account of topos. Notwithstanding the discourse historical approach’s (DHA) stress on topos, its context is found to be restricted and this exposes the argumentation strategies of the DHA to criticism. To surmount any demerits and supply a better grasp of topos, a classical approach to the notion is proposed, deduced from Aristotle’s rhetoric and dialectic. By centering on Greek media discourses on ‘Islamist terrorism’, the paper tries to elucidate the synthesis between the DHA’s argumentation strategies and Aristotelian topos as a prolific analytical and theoretical device.