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[German version] A. Term Ἀρχεῖον ( archeîon) is derived from ἀρχή ( archḗ; office) and initially designated an office building (Xen. Cyr. 1,2,3; Lys. 9,9), but later also the documents created and collected there (Syll.3 684,7-8; Jos. c. Ap. 1,143); other terms are δημόσιον ( dēmósion; IG II2 1,28; Dem. Or. 18,142) and γραμματοφυλάκιον ( grammatophylákion; Plut. Arist. 21), in Egypt also βιβλιοθήκη ( bibliothḗkē) [1] and γραφεῖον ( grapheîon; P Ryland. 65,4, 1st cent. BC). In particular in the ecclesiastical area [2,619-27] archives were often called  ‘libraries’. The Romans called…

I. Library buildings [German version] A. Definition A library is a depository or building for books of all kinds. Libraries could be part of private houses, royal palaces, public and religious buildings ( Gymnasium, Forum, Thermae [1]), sanctuaries, or be independent buildings. Only few libraries have been secured or preserved, because most of their constituent elements, including bookcases ( armaria) and furnishings, were made of wood. Nielsen, Inge (Hamburg) [German version] B. Greece Book collections have been known in the Greek cultural area since the 6th cent. B…