Das Buch in der Spätantike

Modern historians describes late antiquity as a period with an own face, different from classical antiquity and Middle Ages. Development was more slowly and without crashs, also roman traditions have been very important for a long time. Purpose of this essay is showing, that book making of late antiquity has too its own feature. Items of research are materials, the outfit, production and distribution. There are following questions. Do you can see, if changed political, social and economical conditions impress the book and give it new viewpoints? Do you find these changes also in contemporaries sources of writers? Differences between the antique and medieval world of books making, can you it recognize in late antiquity? Do the book get a new evaluation? What is the meaning of producers and do they are mentioned in the sources? After consulting sources and literature in order to give answers to the named questions it is possible to realize following results. The codex, the new design of book, was able giving a lot of new and until now unknown arrangements to create books. Already in late antiquity you could recognize one development of making books, unknown in antiquity: production in special offices of monasteries. Because political, social and economical conditions have changed, the roman High Society, connected with roman literary and scientific traditions, created special associations, where they could collect, take care und keep their cultural heritage. Important texts are here copied "for ever ". It was the example to write manuscripts and to create libraries in medieval monasteries. At the same time christian communities have been founded with special rules in order to live commonly and to practice their christian faith. Therefore it was necessary making their own books. Duty of writing was an important part of rules and the labor of scribes became very honorable. In late antiquity Christianity obtained public and political acceptance and you have to know: it