ABSTRACT
Cultural and linguistic exchange occurred in early civilizations such as ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Egypt and Persia. Evidence on the existence of interpreters and interpreting has been found not only in the works of authors such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, Horace and Sallust, but also in many historical documents on regional and world affairs. A prominent feature of the systematic type of research is its focus on interpreters situated in military and political contexts, especially diplomatic interpreters, and its lack of attention to interpreting in other settings. Interpreting activities have been evidenced in the field of trade. Although historians tend to pay minimal attention to interpreting in general, references to interpreting activities and interpreters can be found in various historical documents in many cultures around the world, from diaries and memoirs to letters and government records. Identifying and analyzing this type of information is central to the study of interpreting history.
