And yet the early church found itself capable of producing works that has lasted for almost 2000 years (some even older). While I don't wish to minimize the expense, I suspect it wasn't alarmingly so. People usually spend their little money on other things, like food or shelter.
yes and that was exactly why they were producing the single copies so that as many PARISHES could at least have A copy.
It was ridiculously expensive even for those who were literate (few) to purchase coplete texts, they were LUCKY to have the oppurtunity to READ one let alone OWN one.