The Bearers of Business Letters in Roman Egypt

By (author) P. Schubert

Book cover: The Bearers of Business Letters in Roman Egypt

Extent: 72 pages

Publisher: Peeters Publishers

Subjects: Ancient Egypt, Classical Studies

Series: Papyrologica Bruxellensia

Series volume number: 41

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(December 2021)

ISBN: 9789042947306

Price: $32.00

In stock

PDF (Published)

(December 2021)

ISBN: 9789042947313

Price: $32.00

In the absence of a postal service available to all, letters exchanged between the inhabitants of Roman Egypt were most often transmitted with the help of informal bearers whose task was not limited to carrying a letter: they brought or collected goods, helped the recipients, sometimes received assistance, facilitated money transfer, performed escort and police duties, and more generally they were an essential link within a wide social network. This short study not only covers formal aspects, such as terminology or the place of the bearer in the structure of a business letter, but also provides a description of the role of the bearers and of their interaction with both senders and recipients.

  • By (author) P. Schubert