Oral Tradition

The Sound of the Spoken Word: Roman Poetry’s Oral Tradition

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Roman Poetry Recitation: Techniques, Styles, and Acoustic Art

Imagine a Rome not of silent scrolls and dusty libraries, but of vibrant public squares and intimate dinner parties. Imagine the air alive with the cadence of verse, the rhythm of language echoing the very pulse of the Republic and Empire. This was the world of Roman poetry – a world where the spoken word … Read more

The Whispers of Prophecy: Recording the Hadith

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The Early Transmission and Preservation of Hadith in Islam

In the hushed corners of early Islamic society, a profound and sometimes contentious debate was unfolding. It wasn’t about grand battles or shifting empires, but about something far more intimate: the preservation of words. Specifically, the words, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad, known as Hadith. These were the whispers that guided a nascent … Read more