The Ties That Bind presents a fascinating study of a dozen cross-class family papers from Tebtunis, an ancient village formerly located in lower Egypt. Dating to the second century AD, this unique documentation provides a rare opportunity to explore how local elites under Roman rule exploited their wealth in the countryside and interacted with its rural inhabitants. It also addresses strategy and decision-making among both elite families and villagers, the complexity of interfamilial relationships, and the implications of this social networking.