4care-artefacts – 4care

4CARE-ARTEFACTS

ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS

Artefact ID	1701
TM ID	TM 17679
Findspot (DEChriM ID)	- ()
Class	Textual
Material	Papyrus
Writing medium	Sheet/roll
Text content	Documentary
Language	Greek
Description	PSI 7 825: Letter from Didymos to Severos The letter on this sheet (11 x 18 cm), although relatively complete, is illegible in many parts. Written by Didymos, who identifies himself as a wine merchant in the address, it is addressed to κ[υ]ρίῳ μο[υ] ἀδελφῷ (line 1) and contains well-wishes παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ (line 3). Due to the use of the προσκύνημα (line 2), Wilcken 1927 proposes a recent convert, as Ghedini had proposed for P.Oxy. XIV 1775; it could however also indicate a pagan, non-Christian writer. The content of the letter is concerned with business, a request to purchase silver and oil, and expressing interest in the mattresses offered by Melas. It ends with greetings from Severos’ wife, sister and children. The verso contains the address. PSI 7 826 is also a letter from Didymos to Severos.
Selection criteria	Christian terms/formulas/concepts
Date from	300
Date to	325
Dating criteria	Palaeography; the ed.pr. dates it to the 4th/5th c., Naldini 1968 places it in the 4th c., specifically the first half of the century (according to monetary amounts). This has been specified to ~325 CE (referring to SB 14 11591 and 11592). Dated Pachon 8.
Absolute/relative date	Relative date
Archaeological context	Unknown provenance
Accession number	Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana 18746 /  Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana PSI 825 (parallel)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference edition
• Naldini, Mario. 1968. Il Cristianesimo in Egitto. Lettere private nei papiri dei secoli II-IV. Firenze: Le Monnier. 202-205, No. 44.

Editio princeps
• Vitelli, Girolamo. 1925. Papiri Greci e Latini. Volume Settimo. N. 731–870. (PSI 7). Firenze: E. Ariani. 128-129, No. 825.

Additional bibliography
• Choat, Malcolm. 2006. Belief and Cult in Fourth-Century Papyri. Studia Antiqua Australiensia 1. Turnhout: Brepols. 6n16, 95, 98n433, 159. [listed]
• O'Callaghan, José. 1963. Cartas cristianas griegas del siglo V. Barcelona: Editorial Balmes. 72-76, No. 11.
• Tibiletti, Giuseppe. 1979. Le lettere private nei papiri greci del III e IV secolo d.C. Tra paganesimo e cristianesimo. Milano: Vita e Pensiero. 17. [listed]
• Wilcken, Ulrich. 1927. “Papyrus-Urkunden.” Archiv für Papyrusforschung (AfP) 8. 63-104: 85.

Authors

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023

Suggested citation

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023, "Artefact ID 1701", 4CARE database - Fourth-Century Christian Archaeological Record of Egypt, https://4care-skos.mf.no/artefacts/1701

Json data

External links

TM 17679 DDbDP (PN) HGV PSI

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