A book format consisting of folded sheets bound together, replacing the earlier scroll format, or specifically a systematic collection of laws or rules.
From Latin 'caudex' originally meaning 'tree trunk' or 'block of wood,' later referring to wooden writing tablets bound together. The meaning evolved to describe any bound book or systematic legal collection.
The codex revolutionized human knowledge storage—unlike scrolls that had to be unrolled linearly, codexes allowed random access to information, just like modern books! Early Christians adopted this format enthusiastically, making it easier to cross-reference biblical passages and contributing to the codex becoming the dominant book format.
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