Altlateinische Paulus-Handschriften

Published in 1964 by Herder, this scholarly volume represents the meticulous academic work of Hermann Josef Frede. It was produced under the auspices of the Vetus Latina Institute in Beuron, Germany, an institution dedicated to the monumental task of reconstructing the Old Latin versions of the Bible that preceded the standard Vulgate. The book serves as a critical catalog and analysis of the existing manuscript fragments containing the Pauline Epistles, providing essential source material for textual critics and historians of early Christianity.

The design and systematic organization of the work reflect the rigorous philological traditions of mid-century German theological research. Frede aimed to categorize the disparate Old Latin manuscripts by their textual characteristics and geographical origins, ensuring that scholars had a reliable reference for studying linguistic variations. Upon its release, the volume was received as a cornerstone of the Vetus Latina project, valued for its exhaustive documentation and its contribution to clarifying the development of Western biblical traditions.