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Product Description
Product Description
This is an examination of how many people could read and write in the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans. Harris traces the partial transition to written culture, demonstrating continued reliance on oral communication. He explores the role of literacy as an instrument of power, indispensable to builders of empires, and as a political weapon for the minority who could read and write. In addition, he looks at the role of writing in the new religious culture of the late Roman Empire, in which it was more revered than practiced.
About the Author
William V. Harris is Shepherd Professor of History at Columbia University and Director of the Center for the Ancient Mediterranean.
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5 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Erudite but biased
28 Feb 2009
Format:Paperback
This book cites and discusses many interesting sources to support the author's thesis that almost no one in antiquity could read. Unfortunately, Professor Harris isn't fair to other points of view. For instance, in the Second Philippic Cicero says that it was customary for people to sell written programmes of gladiatorial matches at gladiatorial exhibitions. This amazing story clearly suggests a high level of literacy in First Century BC Rome, yet Professor Harris never even alludes to it, presumably because it flies in the face of his claim that almost no one could read. It just shows that this book is not a fair and balanced assessment of ALL the evidence.
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