4care-artefacts – 4care

4CARE-ARTEFACTS

ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS

Artefact ID	1674
TM ID	TM 32694
Findspot (DEChriM ID)	28 (al-Bahnasā)
Class	Textual
Material	Papyrus
Writing medium	Sheet/roll
Text content	Documentary
Language	Greek
Description	P.Oxy. XXXI 2603, P.Oxy. 31 2603: Letter of commendation from Paulos to S(erapio)n This letter (11.5 x 25 cm) had been folded, causing the most damage to the sheet; it is even halved horizontally. The recipient, whose name is not legible, is addressed as τῶι κυρίῳ μου [ἀ]δελφῶι (line 1) and ὦ φίλτατε (line 17). Following a long, rhetorical mirror simile for the friendship the two share (until line 19), Paulos asks him to receive the individuals bearing the present letter, since they are not κατηχούμενοί (line 26), but rather members of the group of Ision and Nikolaos. He points out the recipients’ affection πρὸς τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἀδελφούς (line 24-25). Greetings are related from πάντες οἱ ἐνθάδε ἀδελφοὶ (line 29) to τοὺς σὺν σοὶ πάντας ἀδελφοὺς (line 30-31), which are made up of both ἐκλεκτού[ς] and [κα]τηχ̣ουμένους (line 31-32). See Harrop 1962 for some theories on the identities of the sender and recipient. Both are assumed to be leaders of Christian communities. There is a postscript along the left margin, possibly written by a second hand.
Selection criteria	Christian terms/formulas/concepts
Date from	300
Date to	399
Dating criteria	Palaeography
Absolute/relative date	Relative date
Archaeological context	Found in al-Bahnasā (Oxyrhynchos) during the excavations of Bernard Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt between 1896 and 1907.
Accession number	Oxford, Sackler Library, Papyrology Rooms P. Oxy. 2603

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference edition
• Barns, John W. B., Peter Parsons, John Rea and Eric G. Turner. 1966. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Part XXXI (P. Oxy. XXXI). Graeco-Roman Memoirs 45. London: Egypt Exploration Society. 173-175, No. 2603.

Editio princeps
• Harrop, J. H. 1962. “A Christian Letter of Commendation.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (JEA) 48. 132-140. Plate V.

Additional bibliography
• Fournet, Jean-Luc. 2009. “Equisse d’une Anatomie de la Lettre Antique Tardive d’après les Papyrus.” In Correspondances. Documents pour l'histoire de l'Antiquité tardive. Actes du colloque international, université Charles-de-Gaulle-Lille 3, 20-22 novembre 2003, edited by Roland Delmaire, Janine Desmulliez et Pierre-Louis Gatier. Lyon: Maison de l'Orient. 23-66: 48-50.
• Fournet, Jean-Luc. 2013. “Culture grecque et document dans l’Egypte de l’Antiquité tardive.” Journal of Juristic Papyrology (JJP) 43. 135-162: 140-141, 153-160.
• Naldini, Mario. 1968. Il Cristianesimo in Egitto. Lettere private nei papiri dei secoli II-IV. Firenze: Le Monnier. 212-215, No. 47.

Authors

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023

Suggested citation

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023, "Artefact ID 1674", 4CARE database - Fourth-Century Christian Archaeological Record of Egypt, https://4care-skos.mf.no/artefacts/1674

Json data

External links

TM 32694 DDbDP (PN) HGV Oxyrhynchus Online (Image Database) Oxyrhynchus Papyri (University of Oxford – Online Resource)

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