Inside Roman Libraries

Book Collections and Their Management in Antiquity

George W. Houston

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English

The University of North Carolina Press
30 April 2017

History; Ancient history: to c 500 CE

Series: Studies in the History of Greece and Rome

Libraries of the ancient world have long held a place in the public imagination. Even in antiquity, the library at Alexandria was nearly legendary. Until now there has been relatively little research to discover what was inside these libraries, how the collections came into being and evolved, and who selected and maintained the holdings. In this engaging and meticulously researched study, George Houston examines a dozen specific book collections of Roman date in the first comprehensive attempt to answer these questions.

Through a careful analysis of the contents of the collections, Houston reveals the personalities and interests of their owners, shows how manuscripts were acquired, organized, and managed, and identifies the various purposes that libraries served. He takes up the life expectancy of manuscripts, the sizes of libraries, and dangers to books, as well as the physical objects within libraries from scribal equipment to works of art. The result is a clearer, more specific, and more detailed picture of ancient book collections and the elements of Roman libraries than has previously been possible.

By: George W. Houston
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 539g
ISBN: 9781469639208
ISBN 10: 1469639203
Series: Studies in the History of Greece and Rome
Pages: 348
Publication Date: 30 April 2017
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

George Houston is professor emeritus of classics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Reviews for Inside Roman Libraries: Book Collections and Their Management in Antiquity

An excellent teaching resource and a valuable addition to the collection of anyone with an interest in the book in the ancient world.--Journal of Roman Studies