The Role of Texts in Processes of Religious Grouping during the Principate

Textual communities - a concept imported from medieval studies - have been accorded much importance in the formation of religious groups throughout the imperial period, operationalising the concept of 'religions of the book'. Every text seemed to betray a community behind it. From the perspective of 'lived ancient religion' the article will critically review the evidence and suggest different dimensions of the communication, continuation, and diffusion of texts. As a result, the importance of 'textual communities' for the imperial period is seriously questioned.