Because the act of restricting or suppressing literature spans numerous cultures and millennia, and our records from ancient civilizations are not always full, identifying the “first” banned book in history can be a bit of a challenge.
This is because the act of prohibiting or suppressing literature dates back to ancient times. Nevertheless, the following are some early examples:
“The Analects” by Confucius
From “The Analects” written by Confucius: Around the year 213 BCE, during the Qin Dynasty in China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang issued an edict that led to the destruction of a great number of books and records, particularly those that were seen to be a threat to his authority.
The works of Confucius were a part of this collection. The objective was to bring together different schools of thought and philosophies in order to bolster the Emperor’s rule.
The Works of Sappho
“The Works of Sappho” Another early example is the lyrical poet Sappho of Lesbos, who lived around 630 BCE and 570 BCE respectively.
Her works, many of which glorified love and beauty, particularly between women, were eventually destroyed by early Christian authorities, and only fragments of her writings have survived to the present day.
The Bible
The Bible Throughout the years, numerous authorities and groups have tried to suppress various versions or translations of the Bible by either outright banning them or attempting to do so.
For example, in the 13th century, certain portions of the Talmud were judged to be inappropriate and burned in Paris.
Even if these are just a few illustrations, it is crucial to have an understanding that the idea of “banning” a book has shown itself in a variety of ways throughout history and in a variety of civilizations.
Sometimes it involves governmental proclamations and destruction, while other times it could be a more passive kind of suppression, such as by not reproducing or spreading a work. Suppression can take several forms.
