Greek Literary Papyri in Context: Methodological Issues and Research Perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Literary papyri are not just bearers of the texts they preserve, but also material witnesses to the circulation and readership of literature in Graeco-Roman Egypt. As such, they may shed some light on the production practices and functions of these copies: on their scribes, their readers, their uses and reuses in different contexts. Only recently has a full awareness of the importance of these aspects been achieved and, even though attempts at contextualising literary fragments often prove problematic in many ways, the potential rewards of a holistic approach to literary papyri can still be analysed and exploited.