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Papyrus as writing material: the rise of the codex

Codices are already attested in the first century AD but seem to have been not very common, compare the following table.

century
rolls
codices
total
% of rolls
% of codices
I
252
1
253
100
0
I-II
203
4
207
98
2
II
857
14
871
98.5
1.5
II-III
349
17
366
95.5
4.5
III
406
93
499
81.5
18.5
III-IV
54
50
104
52
48
IV
36
99
135
26.5
73.5
IV-V
7
68
75
9.5
90.5
V
11
88
99
11
89

(after Legras 2002: 90)

The following epigram by Martial (about 100 AD) relates to the books of Martial which are obviously in codex form. The epigram gives the impression that this was still not very common. Martial even describes the location of the book seller.

You who are keen to have my books with you everywhere and
want to have them as companions for a long journey, buy these
ones which parchment confines within small leaves, provide
cylinders for great authors: one hand can hold me so that you
may not fail to know where I am for sale, and wonder aimless
throughout the whole city, with me as your guide you will be
certain: look for Secundus, the freedman of learned
Lucensis behind the threshold of the temple of peace and the
forum palladium.

(translation follows: Howell 1980: 31)


 

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