INTRODUCTION
or in something or "laying up" treasures rather than the thing in which they are put. It is thus the place or thing into which things are put. It is in fact probably an abbreviation of the very common phrase in Greek Treasury (Apotheke) of books. The account of the burning of Alexandria says that the fire consumed the treasuries (or magazines) both the treasury of food supplies and the treasury of books. As the Semitic "house" meant any receptacle from a house of ink or inkstand, to a temple treasury so the "theke" meant anything from a small box to a whole building.
In the history of libraries, as of all things, small things come first; chest before room, room before building but both these words cover the case of all and are used for all sizes. Many other words for boxes such as narthex (used for Alexander's Homer), kibotion or kibotos (common of old and used in modern Greek
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