Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Episode: Peter Arzt-Grabner, "Letters and Letter Writing" (Brill U Schöningh, 2023)
Date: September 12, 2025
Host: Jonathan Looked
Guest: Peter Arzt-Grabner

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode focuses on Peter Arzt-Grabner’s book, "Letters and Letter Writing," a comprehensive exploration of ancient letters—particularly papyrus letters—and their intersections with early Christian texts, especially the Pauline epistles. Arzt-Grabner and host Jonathan Looked discuss the everyday realities revealed through these documents, the methods and conventions of ancient correspondence, and what scholars and students can learn by studying such primary sources.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Arzt-Grabner’s Scholarly Journey

[02:13–05:50]

• Started with theology (Salzburg & Rome), then classics, focusing on Greek.
• Discovered papyri not as literary artifacts but as everyday documents after organizing a comparative seminar for students on papyrus and Pauline letters.
• “At the end of that semester...we went to the Vienna Collection...they are housing 180,000 artifacts...I immediately got fascinated by this material. And since then I’ve become much more a papyrologist.” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [04:45]
• His path reflects the overlap and synergy between teaching and research.

2. The Appeal of Papyrus Letters

[06:31–10:31]

• Arzt-Grabner’s realization: Papyrus letters illuminate what typical ancient life, not just that of the elite, might have been like.
• These letters cover the day-to-day realities: inheritance, love, marriage, family disputes.
• “When you look at those [letters], you realize that the human problems, the human situations, they haven't changed a lot in the past 2,000 years.” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [09:40]
• Highly varied; each letter is unique, unlike standardized documents (e.g., tax receipts, contracts).
• He was driven to study how ancient people navigated ordinary—and universal—issues.

3. Thanksgiving Phrases & Pauline Letters

[10:31–19:26]

• Doctor Arzt-Grabner’s key research: Comparing the structure and function of thanksgiving formulas in papyrus letters and Paul’s epistles.
• Not all “thanksgiving” sections serve the same function—context matters.
• “A thanksgiving in a papyrus letter cannot be introduced in any letter. It depends on a particular situation.” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [14:45]
• In-depth look at a specific soldier’s letter to his father (BTU 423) and how it both compares and contrasts with Paul's style.
• Findings: Both types of letters use thanksgiving after opening greetings, but the content and circumstances differ.
• Concluded that Paul adapts a convention from ordinary correspondence, filling it with his own theological content.

4. Everyday Life through Letters

[21:29–32:07]

• Papyrus letters document the realities of slavery and household management (contrasts with elite-focused sources).
• “The highest number of a household slaves that we find evidence in the papyri is 11...the average is one or two.” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [22:14]
• Examples of slaves with significant responsibility—even if not always intellectually gifted.
• The importance of letter formulas: more than decorative—they provided structure and meaning.
• “A formula was a perfect way of telling with only a few words, your addressee, what is your intention...” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [27:50]
• Formulas signaled relationship dynamics, continuity, or breakdowns in communication (e.g., complaints about unanswered letters).

5. Structure and Function of Ancient Letters

[32:37–39:28]

• Transport and logistics:
  • Official postal system (cursus publicus) reserved for state/military; private letters relied on friends, relatives, slaves, or professional couriers.
  • Examples of delays and bribery in seeking letter carriers.
  • Sometimes, the practicalities (availability of a carrier) influenced the length and content of letters—possibly even those by Paul.

6. Preservation, Archiving, and Hazards

[39:39–42:51]

• Letters often damaged in transit (water, mice, general wear).
• Damage could play a role in the textual history of major works (e.g., why two Pauline letters might have been combined if one’s beginning was lost).

7. Teaching with Letters

[21:29–32:07]

• Using papyrus letters helps students connect with the texture of everyday ancient life.
• Encourages students to treat formulas with analytical seriousness, as they are keys to understanding communication and structure.

8. Arzt-Grabner’s Current and Future Work

[43:43–48:45]

• Finalizing an English-language volume on Galatians in the Papyrologische Kommentare zum Neuen Testament (PKNT) series, expanding the format for multi-author contributions.
• Planning a fourth volume in the "Papyri and the New Testament" series, focusing on craftspeople, slaves, and soldiers.
• “So that will be Galatians, selection of topics. And it's not done by a single author, but by several authors who are all very esteemed papyrologists and New Testament scholars.” — Peter Arzt-Grabner [44:52]
• Actively contributing essays, conference presentations, and journal articles.

Memorable Quotes and Attributions

• “When you look at those [papyrus] letters, you realize that the human problems, the human situations, they haven't changed a lot in the past 2,000 years.”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [09:40]

• “A thanksgiving in a papyrus letter cannot be introduced in any letter. It depends on a particular situation.”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [14:45]

• “A formula was a perfect way of telling with only a few words, your addressee, what is your intention when you are writing...”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [27:50]

• “The highest number of a household slaves that we find evidence in the papyri is 11...the average is one or two.”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [22:14]

• “There are also dangers...someone replies now, ‘Yeah, I received the letter that you sent me, but it was quite damaged. Obviously it fell into the water, so I was not able to read it. So the letter carrier didn't take enough care, or the letter was eaten by mice.’”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [39:39]

• “Our way of communicating, our relationship is intact. The other way is...I have sent you already three letters, but you didn't even reply once...”
  — Peter Arzt-Grabner [29:35]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Introduction & Arzt-Grabner’s background | 01:59–05:50 | | Why study papyrus letters? | 06:31–10:31 | | Thanksgiving formulas in letters | 10:31–19:26 | | Everyday realities & ancient slavery | 21:29–27:50 | | Importance of letter formulas | 27:50–32:07 | | Letter transportation and logistics | 33:19–39:28 | | Preservation, archiving, and letter damage | 39:39–42:51 | | Arzt-Grabner’s ongoing & future projects | 43:43–48:45 |

Tone and Style

The discussion is personable and scholarly, full of enthusiasm for both the details and broader significance of ancient letters. Arzt-Grabner’s explanations are vivid, accessible, and often humorous, with a strong focus on drawing meaningful connections between ancient and modern life. The episode is highly informative for anyone interested in ancient history, biblical studies, or the material culture of the Greco-Roman world.

Conclusion

This episode offers a lively, deeply informed look at ancient letter-writing, with Peter Arzt-Grabner sharing not only the technical details and scholarly debates but also the palpable human dimension that comes through in everyday correspondence. Listeners will come away with a greater appreciation for both the complexity and the continuity of human communication.