Codex formats of Pandect Bibles of the 4th / 5th century
4th c. 1. Codex format and columns of the Sinaiticus Ref. : Codex Sinaiticus Project: http://codexsinaiticus.org/en/.
The original covers disappeared, the construction weakened and finally the one codex was divided up into several parts, single folios and fragments. The three-dimensional format of the codex as an integral whole can only be imagined with the help of the example of the Vaticanus (see below). It was a thick and large, not very practical volume, evidently not intended to be used in daily liturgical practice of church or monastery. Most probably the codex was kept in a library (of a Christian scriptorium somewhere in the East) and used as reference work for new handwritten copies. The original number of used sheets: 380 sheets were needed to produce the whole pandect Sinai codex (95 quires of 4 sheets per quire). When the codex is laid open one observes 4 small columns (writing space) per page and 8 columns (read from left to right), providing a broad overview for the reader. In the middle part of the codex, where the Psalms and the Wisdom books were incorporated, the writing shifts from 4 to 2 (somewhat lengthier) columns per page and 4 columns over 2 folio-pages. At present the folio-dimensions are 38 cm in height and 34,5 cm in width. The inner margins are smaller than the outer margins. The upper margins are smaller than the lower margins.
Large format verso recto
4 columns (writing space) 4 columns (writing space)
38 cm
34.5 cm 34.5 cm 4th c. 2. Codex format and columns of the Vaticanus Ref. : http://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat.gr.1209.
The codex Vaticanus is a compact thick volume, which remained intact and is of special interest for its format. Although the original covers did not survive, and new covers were fabricated more recently, the idea of a Pandect Bible, an all-in codex unit, is still perceivable and paradigmatic. The dimensions (height: 27 cm and width: 27 cm) are less extensive than those of the Sinaiticus, and the folio-pages are more condensed in character. The quire construction is regular quinions (10 folios per quire) throughout (see Canart for the quire number issue) and there are 774 ancient folio-numbers and 78 quinions. The original number of used sheets: 370 sheets were needed to produce the whole pandect Vaticanus codex (74 quires of 5 sheets per quire). To the smaller size of the folio-pages correspond the 3 columns per page and 6 columns overview of the two annex pages of the opened codex. The size of the columns and the writing surface, are still small and the Vaticanus has the same style of writing blocks (paragraphing) within the columns. The inner margins are smaller than the outer margins. The upper margins are smaller than the lower margins.
Middle format verso recto
3 columns (writing space) 3 columns (writing space)
27 cm
27 cm 27 cm 5th c. 3. Codex format and columns of the Alexandrinus Ref. : http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Royal_MS_1_d_viii.
Codex Alexandrinus was certainly a thick volume, incorporating all books of OT and NT and even including Clementine letters. The original format, however, changed in the course of time, and the codex was finally divided into four volumes. The unity of the codex is guaranteed by the preserved quire numbers (1-105) and other indications (see Andrew Smith 2014). The quires were composed of 8 folios (quaternions ), although rebound later in ternions (6 folios). In total roughly 420 sheets of parchment (105 x 4) were used for the whole manuscript. The dimensions of the folio-pages are: height 32 cm and width 28 cm, somewhat larger in height and 1 cm more in width compared to the Vaticanus .
The colums are twofold in the whole codex, somewhat larger than in the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.
Middle-large format verso recto
2 columns (writing space) 2 columns (writing space)
32 cm
28 cm 28 cm 5th c. 4. Codex format and columns of the Ephraemi Syri rescriptus Ref .: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8470433r/f15.image.r=.langEN.
The underlying script of codex Ephraemi appeared (end 17th / beginning 18th c. in France) to contain an ancient bible of OT and NT books. The bible codex, which was probably a pandect bible (opinion of Gregory, Swete), was deformerd before the 12th century, (no longer legible through change of script - from majuscule into minuscule), when a part of the original manuscript was re-used for the Greek version of (38) ascetical writings of Ephraim the Syrian (minuscule). Maybe the parchment lay somewhere in a library and was "out of use" at the time of rewriting. The rewritten remains of the original codex are 209 folios (it seems that the folios were used freely, disturbing the original quire structure, but this important issue should be investigated afresh, as should the new quire structure for Ephraims orations). [see Omont Inventaire I, p. 2 for short inventory] Of the OT part 64 folios and of the NT part 145 folios were retained. The original books were written on one column per folio-page, Ephraim orations on 2 columns. The original bible codex must have been as big as the other contemporary pandect codices, if it was a full exemplar (working hypothesis). - absent from the Greek OT are: Oktateuch, Kings I-IV, Chronicles I-II, Esra I-II, Esther, Tobit, Maccabees I-IV, Prophets (12 minor, 4 major), Psalms. - portions of the OT Wisdom books and all NT books (4 Gospels, Acts, Pauline and General epistles, Apocalypse) have been preserved.
Middle-large format verso recto
one column (original writing space) one column (original writing space)
33 cm
27 cm 27 cm