Description |
xii, 337 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm |
Contents |
I. Literacy and Literary Culture in Early Christianity -- II. The Early Christian Book -- III. The Publication and Circulation of Early Christian Literature -- IV. Early Christian Libraries -- V. The Uses of Early Christian Books |
Summary |
This fascinating and lively book provides the first comprehensive discussion of the production, circulation, and use of books in early Christianity. It explores the extent of literacy in early Christian communities; the relation in the early church between oral tradition and written materials; the physical form of early Christian books; how books were produced, transcribed, published, duplicated, and disseminated; how Christian libraries were formed; who read the books, in what circumstances, and to what purposes. Harry Y. Gamble interweaves practical and technological dimensions of the production and use of early Christian books with the social and institutional history of the period. Drawing on evidence from papyrology, codicology, textual criticism, and early church history, as well as on knowledge about the bibliographical practices that characterized Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, he offers a new perspective on the role of books in the first five centuries of the church |
Analysis |
Christianity Scriptures |
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Christianity Scriptures |
Notes |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-334) and index |
SUBJECT |
Bible. New Testament http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh96011928 -- Publication and distribution http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh00006887 -- Rome.
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79039816
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Subject |
Books and reading -- Rome.
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Books -- History -- 400-1450.
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Books -- History -- To 400.
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Books -- Rome -- History -- 400-1450
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Books -- Rome -- History -- To 400
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Books -- Rome -- History.
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Christian libraries -- Rome.
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Books -- Rome.
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Christian literature, Early -- Latin authors -- History and criticism.
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Christian literature, Early -- Publishing -- Rome.
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Christian literature, Early -- Rome -- History and criticism.
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Christians -- Books and reading -- Rome.
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Church libraries -- Rome.
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Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600.
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Literacy -- Rome.
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LC no. |
94024351 |
ISBN |
0300060246 (alk. paper) |
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0300069189 (paperback) |
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