formats-slide1

Scroll, Codex, and Canons:
the Relationship of Ancient Book Formats
to Larger Collections and Anthologies
(with Special Reference to Jewish and Christian Scriptures)

by Robert A. Kraft, University of Pennsylvania
21 February 2008

___

Information on the presentation format is available
at http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/temp/frames/

--
Estimated number of physical scrolls (46) needed to cover the traditional Greek Christian Bible canon

05 Pentateuch (Five Books of Moses)
02 Joshua, Judges+Ruth
06 Samuel-Kings, Chronicles
04 Ezra+Nehemiah, Esther, Tobit, Judith
04 1-2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees
09 Job, Psalms+Odes, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
02 Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach
05 Isaiah, Jeremiah+Lamentations+Baruch+Letter, Ezekiel, Daniel, "the Twelve"
04 Gospels
01 Acts
03 Epistles of Paul, Hebrews, General Epistles
01 Revelation (Apocalypse)

From Martial's Epigrams 14, on bookish gifts:

14.003	Pugillares citrei	Tablets/notebooks of citrus wood
14.004	Quinquiplices [cera]	Five-leaved tablets/notebooks [waxed]
14.005	Pugillares eborei	Ivory tablets/notebooks
14.006	Triplices	Three-leaved tablets/notebooks
14.007	Pugillares membranei	Parchment tablets/notebooks
	Esse puta ceras, licet haed membrana vocetur:	Suppose it to be wax, though it is called parchment
	delebis, quotiens scripta novare voles.	You will erase whatever you want to write anew.
14.008	Vitelliani	Vitellian tablets [for love notes]
14.009	Idem	The same [requesting money]
14.010	Chartae maiores	Large sheets of papyrus
14.011	Chartae epistulares	Papyrus sheets for letters

14.183	Homeri Batrachomyomachia	Homer's "Battle of Frogs and Mice"
14.184	Homerus in pugillaribus membraneis.	Homer in hand-held parchments (notebooks?)
	Ilias et Priami regnis inimicus Ulixes	The Iliad and Ulysses, enemy of Priam's kingdom,
	Multiplici pariter condita pelle latent.	are there together, preserved in many folds of skin
14.185	Virgili Culex	Virgil's "Gnat"
14.186	Vergilius in membranis.	Vergil on parchment
	Quam brevis inmensum cepit membrana Maronem!	How small a quantity of parchment has comprised vast Maro!
	Ipsius vultus prima tabella gerit.	The first leaf bears his own countenance
14.187	Menandrou Qais [Greek]	Menander's "Thais"
14.188	Cicero in membranis.	Cicero on parchment
	Si comes ista tibi fuerit membrana, putato	If this parchment will be your companion, suppose
	Carpere te longas cum Cicerone vias.	yourself to be making a long journey with Cicero
14.189	Monobyblos Properti	The "Monobiblos" of Propertius
14.190	Titus Livius in membranis.	Titus Livy on parchment.
	Pellibus exiguis artatur Livius ingens	Compressed in tiny skins vast Livy,
	Quem mea non totum bibliotheca capit	for whom complete my library has not room.
14.191	Sallustius	Sallust
14.192	Ovidi Metamorphosis in membranis.	Metamorphoses of Ovid on parchment
	Haec tibi, multiplici quae structa est massa tabella,	This mass that has been built up for you with multifold tablets
	Carmina Nasonis quinque decemque gerit.	contains the fifteen lays of Naso
14.193	Tibullus	Tibullus
14.194	Lucanus	Lucan
14.195	Catullus	Catullus
14.196	Calvi de aquae frigidae usu	Calvus "On the Use of Cold Water"

--
Ulpian, writing between C.E. 211 and 217 is reported to have said (Digest 32.52):

Under the heading "books" (librorum) all volumes (volumina) are included, whether they are made of papyrus (in charta), of parchment (in membrana), or of any other material whatsoever; but even if they are written on wood-slabs (in philyra) (as is sometimes done), or upon any kind of prepared skins (in alio corio), they come under the same appellation. If, however, they are codices of parchment (in codicibus sint membraneis), or papyrus (vel chartaceis), or even ivory (vel etiam eboreis), or any other material, or are composed of wax tablets (in ceratis codicillis), let us determine whether they ought to be included? Gaius Cassius writes that where books (libris) are bequeathed, the parchments (membranas) are also included. Hence, it follows that everything relating to them will be included if the intention of the testator was not otherwise.

Then, after discussing the question whether a bequest of libri [books] covers unwritten papyrus rolls (chartae) and unwritten parchments (membranae), Ulpian adds (Digest 32.52.5):

Wherefore, when books (libri) are bequeathed, the question is not inappropriately asked whether those are included which are not yet written upon (nondum perscripti). I do not think they are included, any more than cloth which is not yet entirely woven is included under the heading "clothing." But books which have been written (perscripti libri), but have not yet been beaten or ornamented [??], are included in such a legacy, as well as such as are not glued together, or corrected [repaired?], and also parchments (membranae) which are not sewed, are also included.

Paulus, who succeeded Ulpian as Praetorian Prefect in 223 writes (Sententiae 3.6.87):

When books (libris) are bequeathed, volumes of papyrus (chartae volumina) , or of parchment (vel membranae) and wood-slabs (et philyrae) are included, and codices, as well (codices quoque). By the designagtion "books" (librorum) not merely volumes of papyrus (volumina chartarum), but also any kind of writing which is contained in anything is understood.

One more passage from Ulpian (Digest 32.52.1):

If a hundred books (libri) are bequeathed, we must deliver to the legatee a hundred volumes (volumina), and not a hundred parts which anyone may select as he wishes, each of which constitutes a written book (ad libri scripturam); hence, when the works of Homer are all contained in a single volume (in uno volumine), we do not count them as forty-eight books (libros), but the entire volume of Homer (unum Homeri volumen) should be understood to constitute a "book" (pro libro).

Christian codices dated to 2nd century [from Roberts & Skeat]

P.Ryl. 3.457. John. Van Haelst 462. Typology P⁵². ii.
P. Baden 4.56. Exodus, Deuteronomy. Van Haelst 33. Typology OT 24. (ii ed.; late ii E.G.T.).
P. Yale 1.1. [verso] Genesis. Van Haelst 12. Typology OT 7. ii/iii (E.G.T.; C.E. 90 ed.).
P. Chester Beatty VI. Numbers, Deuteronomy.\109/ Van Haelst 52. Typology OT 36. ii/iii (E.G.T., A.S. Hunt; ii F. G. Kenyon, U. Wilcken).
P. Ant. 1.7. Psalms. Van Haelst 179. Typology OT 120. ii/iii (E.G,T.; ed., ii H.I.Bell).
P. Lips. Inv. 170. Psalms. Van Haelst 224. Typology OT 151 iii (ii C.H.R.)
Oxford, Bodleian MS. Gr. bibl. g. 5 (P) Psalms. Van Haelst 151. Typology OT 97 A. ii/iii (E.G.T.; ii ed.).
P. Barc. Inv. 1 + Magdalen College, Oxford, Gr. 18 + Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Suppl. Gr. 1120. Matthew,
Luke. [[41]] Van Haelst 336, 403. Typology P⁴, P⁶⁴, P⁶⁷. iii or iii/iv (P⁴), ii (P⁶⁴, P⁶⁷).
P. Ryl. 1.5. Titus. Van Haelst 534. Typology P³². iii (ii Bell-Skeat).
P. Oxy. 34.2683. Matthew. Van Haelst 372. Typology P⁷⁷. ii.
P. Oxy. 50.3523. John. ii. Not in Typology.

Gamble

Gamble, Harry Y. The New Testament Canon: Its Making and Meaning. New Haven/London: Yale University Press, 1985.
+__. Books and Readers in the Early Church: A History of Early Christian Texts (New Haven: Yale UP 1995)

Roberts

Roberts, Colin H. The Codex. Proceedings of the British Academy 40 (1954) 169-204 [passim]
+__. "Early Christianity in Egypt." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 40 (1954) 92-96
__. Manuscript, Society and Belief in Early Christian Egypt

(Roberts &) Skeat
THE BIRTH OF THE CODEX (London 1983)

39

40 label of codex fragment as Christian

Caesar passage

Suetonius, Divus Julius 56.6 describes the form of Julius Caesar's despatches to the Senate in the following words:

Some letters of his to the senate are also extant, and he seems to have been the first to convert such documents to pages and the format of a memorandum book, whereas previously consuls and generals did not send their reports except (on sheets) written against the papyrus fibers.

Epistulae quoque eius ad Senatum extant, quas primum videtur ad paginas et formam memorialis libelli convertisse, cum antea consoles et duces non nisi transversa charta scriptas mitterent.

Bagnall lectures

bibliog and sites
http://www.ulg.ac.be/facphl/services/cedopal/pages/bibliographies/Liber%20antiquus.htm