3.54 FC – Mediators of Communication

Our understanding of Medieval Greek letter writing (4th–15th century) is shaped primarily by two corpora: papyri and manuscripts. Papyrus letters, typically autographs dealing with private and administrative matters, are mostly preserved from Egypt and disappear after the 8th century CE. While letters from the Late Antique period have been extensively studied, those from the early…

Astute sixth-century readers of Justinian I’s many assertions of monopoly over all things legal will have known how to take a hint: if one needed definitive action, whether in making new law, interpreting old law, or adjudicating disputes, it was advisable to ask the emperor directly. Requests to him took the form of petitions delivered…