This paper proposes to examine how translation and the paper world of 19th century science, affected the practice of science in Greece from 1838 to 1905. It aims to show how translation of terminology and textbook publishing was one of the central ways to accumulate cultural capital as a practicing scientist in 19th century Greece. Thus, scientists recounted their translation efforts in speeches, official addresses and textbooks and were often judged by the merits of their success in that endeavor. In a space that the role of the scientist, as an expert, patriot and intellectual, was being negotiated, the paper artifacts of science such as textbooks came to the fore as both the subjects and the objects of their practice. By participating in the paper based circulation of their ideas, both locally and abroad, scientists managed to establish their field.

As a final note, the Greek case will be contrasted with the happenings across the Atlantic, in the USA. While both spaces were considered borderlands by the scientists working within them, the formation and operation of the two nascent scientific communities followed very different trajectories. In both cases, however, textbooks and their circulation was instrumental in the how science was done during the 19th century. However, in the US, translation was less an issue and the emphasis was given in the communicative and educational aspect of textbooks. By noting the similarities and divergences between the US and Greece, this paper aims to highlight the role of paper communication during the period and show how textbooks acted as the loci for the conversion and establishment of scientific capital.