Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Literacy" in English language version.
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Various social groups developed different functional literacies tailored to their everyday needs—if these required some form of writing. This is particularly true of administrative and legal concerns, as well as various economic affairs. That notwithstanding, the great mass of the population of the Roman Empire could surely neither write nor read and comprehend longer text—although being able to read lapidariae litterae was evidently not uncommon, as is revealed by Petronius' ribbing of social risers as well as the erasures in imperial inscriptions, milestones and local honorary inscriptions. The evidence provided by papyrology in particular should further caution scholars against attributing widespread literacy to those wealthier groups below the ordines of senators, knights and decurions. Although they were often reliant on written documents, many landowners or local officials were clearly illiterate. The higher rates of literacy observable in the army by contrast with the population at large are due to its tight organization and importance as an instrument of power. Similarly, the higher rates observable in urban contexts can be attributed to the plethora of options that hub communities—unlike rural areas—could offer, such as education, culture, administration, law, or employment. Nevertheless, the need for writing, as well as its everyday use, is also in evidence for rural areas.
