Stages of Development in Scribal Professionalism in Early Christian Circles

Abstract

The intention of this thesis is to test a recent hypothesis that there were three identifiable stages on the way to thoroughgoing professionalism in the copying of Christian texts in Greek in the period from early II AD to the end of IV AD. ... In light of the investigation, it is clear that the hypothesis of a three-stage development in the use of professional scribes in early Christian circles is untenable as too simplistic and, although the evidence that has been analysed here derives almost solely from Egypt, we may conclude that this was the situation everywhere in the Roman world for the copying of early Christian texts.