As the usage began with the Greeks, we may be sure that
it came originally from Asia.
The Emperor Nero, once having heard that an Olympic Ode of Pindar in
letters of gold was laid up in one of the temples at Athens, desired
that certain verses of his own should be similarly written and dedicated
on the Altar of Jupiter Capitolinus at Rome. This was an imperial luxury
several times repeated by other princes.
After the official establishment of Christianity it became a common
practice to have the greater liturgical books executed in the same
costly fashion. And between the time of Constantine and that of Basil
the Macedonian many a burning homily was directed against the custom,
denounced as a sinful extravagance, which no doubt it was, but in vain
until the fashion had worn itself out.
It might fairly be expected, this being the case, that many examples of
this kind of codex would still be in existence. But owing to war, fire,
robbery, and other misfortunes but very few remain. One of the oldest
and finest is the so-called _Codex Argenteus_, or Silver-book, now kept
at Upsala, in Sweden, containing portions of the Gospels of the
M?sogothic Bishop Ulfilas. Originally the effect of the stamped or
burnished silver on the rich purple of the vellum must have been very
splendid, but now the action of the air has blackened it, as it has done
in many other instances where silver was used in illumination.
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