| Artefact ID | 1174 |
| TM ID | TM 30409 |
| Findspot (DEChriM ID) | - () | Class | Textual |
| Material | Papyrus |
| Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
| Text content | Documentary |
| Language | Greek |
| Description | PSI XV 1560; SB X 10255: Letter of peace. Fragment of a sheet preserving the upper part of a letter addressed by Theonas to his "beloved brother" Mensurius, greeting him "in God". The letter concerns a certain Serenos, a catechumen, whom Theonas is addressing to Mensurius. The final greetings to "all the brothers" are partially lost. This letter is categorised as a "letter of peace" rather than "letter of recommendation" in Teeter 1997: 960. The names of the correspondents, who were members of the clergy, are the same as those of two bishops: Theonas bishop of Alexandria (282-300) and Mensurius bishop of Carthage (c. 303-311); but Messeri 2008: 360 notes that it might be pure coincidence. As for the name of the catechumen, Serenos, it occupies a whole line; according to Naldini 1968: 127, that line was possibly left blank and filled in later, which would mean that this kind of letters was produced in series; but Messeri 2008: 359 notes that the hand is the same and that this kind of layout does not show on other "letters of peace". See for instance P.Oxy. XXXVI 2785. The text is written along the fibres in a large informal uncial hand that announces the development of the Alexandrian majuscule (Messeri refers to P.Bodmer 20+9 for comparison). Use of nomen sacrum in the greetings. In the upper margin of the recto and on the verso are written sequences of apparently meaningless letters and without relation to the main text. The writing tool was different but the hand could be the same as the main one. |
| Selection criteria | Mention of Christian cult officials/institutions, Christian terms/formulas/concepts, Nomina sacra |
| Date from | 275 |
| Date to | 350 |
| Dating criteria | Palaeographically dated to the end of 3rd or early 4th c in Naldini 1968: 129. |
| Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
| Archaeological context | - |
| Accession number | Florence, Istituto Papirologico ’G. Vitelli’ PSI inv. 2452 |
ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS
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