This volume presents the best papers of a conference held in October 2012 in Budapest, investigating the tensions and connections between sale (the legal framework for exchanging goods) and community (the public interest represented by state authorities). The research is part of a series scrutinizing documentary sources from ancient societies. Legal documents open a special sight to legal cultures, using different languages and writing material. Despite basic disparities it is fascinating to discover deep functional relations mirroring the social and economic context.