A Survey on Abbreviating (and Punctuation) Signs in Latin Documentary Papyri, Ostraka and Tablets from Roman Africa and the East (BC I–VII AD)

Systems of abbreviations in Latin written products have been so far investigated with a strong focus on literary texts and/or medieval manuscripts, mainly referring to textual criticism or diplomatic studies. A comprehensive account of the situation in documents – be they on papyrus, ostrakon or tablet – is still in being. The main obstacles are the slim remains of Latin or bilingual Latin-Greek documents before the 7th AD; the little knowledge or interest in them; and the chaotic situation of abbreviating signs, symbols and other paratextual devices in those documents. Different textual typologies in Latin documentary culture seem to require different abbreviating ways: military lists will employ medial dots before and after some words, whereas letters will alternate between dots, short strokes, or dots above the letters; the interpunctum appears to switch between its original function connected to divisio verborum to a purely abbreviating device, before disappearing in 2nd AD and re-surfacing in the 4th; Late Antique chanceries deploy a score of new signs of unknown origin. The relations between Greek documentary abbreviations has never been systematically studied. This paper presents a survey of the abbreviation devices in Latin documents between 1st BC and 7th AD. The signs will be described and catalogued according to their chronological range, the textual typology and the letter(s) or word(s) they are associated with. By picking some case studies, it will discuss the origin and the scope of signs; the connection with other graphic systems; the influence of bureaucratic standardization; and the degree of custom and personal taste beyond abbreviating choices.