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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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