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ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS

Artefact ID	1655
TM ID	TM 33709
Findspot (DEChriM ID)	28 (al-Bahnasā)
Class	Textual
Material	Papyrus
Writing medium	Sheet/roll
Text content	Documentary
Language	Greek
Archive/Dossier	Archive
Description	P.Oxy. XLVIII 3397, P.Oxy. 48 3397 Ro: Letter from Papnouthis to Dorotheos Papnouthis, writing this letter (16 x 27 cm) to his brother Dorotheos, refers to many previous letters asking him to send him money for the workers, to no avail, which is why he now has troubles μὰ τὸν γὰρ Θεὼν (line 5) everyday with the collectors (μετὰ τῶν ἀπαιτητῶν, line 6). At this time, the brothers worked as assistants to the praepositus pagi, a position of some influence: Papnouthis asks Dorotheos to send the comarchs to him to make them pay, and reminds him to send Felix money that same day. Interestingly, Papnouthis describes himself as κατάκλιστός εἰμι (line 21), stating he has been imprisoned (?) due to the gold for the land tax (τοῦ χρυσίου τῆς ἀρουρατίωνος, line 22), which he still has not received from Dorotheos. The verso contains an 11-line list of names (Apollos, Lamasos, Pathais, Pouolis, Athyr, Aphous, Gemellos, Phenamounis and Kopreos) and illegible words. Line 9 of the verso may contain μ[ον]αχός rather than σύ[μμ]αχος.
Selection criteria	Christian terms/formulas/concepts
Date from	330
Date to	385
Dating criteria	Archive context: Part of the Archive of Papnouthis and Dorotheos (TM Archive ID 172), ranged between 330 and 385 CE. The archive contains P.Oxy. XLVIII 3384–3429.
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 44 5B 60/C(20-21)a Ro + 44 5B 63/(39-42)c Ro

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Editio princeps
• Chambers, Mortimer, Walter E. H. Cockle, John C. Shelton and Eric G. Turner. 1981. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Part XLVIII (P. Oxy. XLVIII), edited by M. G. Sirivianou. Graeco-Roman Memoirs 67. London: Egypt Exploration Society. 94-97, No. 3397. Plate VII.

Additional bibliography
• Hutchinson, Gregory O. 2007. “Down among the Documents: Criticism and Papyrus Letters.” In Ancient Letters: Classical and Late Antique Epistolography, edited by Ruth Morello and Andrew D. Morrison. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 17-36: 28-32.

Authors

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023

Suggested citation

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023, "Artefact ID 1655", 4CARE database - Fourth-Century Christian Archaeological Record of Egypt, https://4care-skos.mf.no/artefacts/1655

Json data

External links

TM 33709 DDbDP (PN) HGV Oxyrhynchus Online (Image Database) Oxyrhynchus Papyri (University of Oxford – Online Resource)

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