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4CARE-ARTEFACTS

ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS

Artefact ID	1726
TM ID	TM 32935
Findspot (DEChriM ID)	- ()
Class	Textual
Material	Papyrus
Writing medium	Sheet/roll
Text content	Documentary
Language	Greek
Description	P. Strasbourg gr. 1900, SB 14 11532: Letter to the διδάσκαλος Philoxenos The top part of the papyrus (9 x 8 cm), originally 15/16 x 24/26 cm, is broken off at the top (unclear how much) and on the right (~6–7 cm). It had been rolled from right to left, showing 3 folds, and was folded once horizontally. Although not much of the content remains, multiple individuals are named in the letter: ἀδελφὸν κ(ύριό)ν μου Ἰουλ[ι]ανὸν (line 2), κυρ(ίαν) Xenike, κυρ(ίαν) Arsinoe (line 7), Philoxenos, and ὁ καλὸς Phoibammon (line 10). Someone in the broken off part of the papyrus is addressed as ὁ κ(ύριο)ς (line 9). An interesting mention is Κυρίαν τὴν διδάσκαλον (line 5, 12), prompting the discussion of whether this female didaskalos (as well as the recipient Philoxenos) was a Christian function, honorific title or a secular teacher. Kyria is presumed to be a personal name since it is not abbreviated as a nomen sacrum. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κ(υρίο)υ ἡμῶν Ἰη(σοῦ) [Χρ(ιστοῦ)] (line 11) is a greeting often occurring in the New Testament, not encountered in the papyri. Horsley 1982 lists some Biblical passages echoed by the greeting: Galatians 6:18, Philippians 4:23 and 1 Thessalonians 5:28. The verso contains the address. Nomina sacra: κν, κς, κυ, ιη
Selection criteria	Christian terms/formulas/concepts, Nomina sacra, Biblical quote or paraphrase
Date from	300
Date to	399
Dating criteria	Palaeography; compared to P.Lond. 234 (P. Abinn. 3, 346 CE) in the ed.pr., also stating that the names included indicate rather second half of the 4th c. Broux/Clarysse place the use of the name Arsinoe in the early 4th c.
Absolute/relative date	Relative date
Archaeological context	Unknown provenance; since Alexandria is mentioned in line 1, probably Egypt.
Accession number	Strasbourg, Bibliothèque Nationale P. gr. 1900

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Editio princeps
• Nagel, Marcel. 1975. “Lettre Chretienne sur Papyrus (provenant de milieux sectaires du IVe siècle?).” Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE) 18: 317-323.

Additional bibliography
• Broux, Yanne and Willy Clarysse. 2016. “Would You Name Your Child after a Celebrity? Arsinoe, Berenike, Kleopatra, Laodike and Stratonike in the Greco-Roman East.” Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE) 200. 347-362: 352.
• Choat, Malcolm. 2006. Belief and Cult in Fourth-Century Papyri. Studia Antiqua Australiensia 1. Turnhout: Brepols. 121, 132n643, 168.
Eisen, Ute E. 1996. Amtsträgerinnen im frühen Christentum. Epigraphische und literarische Studien. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 87-93, No. A.
• Horsley, Gregory H. R. 1981. New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity. Volume 1. A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published in 1976. Macquarie University: The Ancient History Documentary Research Centre. 121, No. 79.
• Horsley, Gregory H. R. 1982. New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity. Volume 2. A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published in 1977. Macquarie University: The Ancient History Documentary Research Centre. 157, §97.2.
• Horsley, Gregory H. R. 1987. New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity. Volume 4. A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published in 1979. Macquarie University: The Ancient History Documentary Research Centre. 240, No. 122n5.
• Luijendijk, AnneMarie. 2008. Greetings in the Lord. Early Christians and the Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 65n24.
• Rupprecht, Hans-Albert and Joachim Hengstl. 1983. Sammelband Griechischer Urkunden aus Ägypten. Vierzehnter Band. Erstes Heft. (Nr. 11264–11594). (SB 14). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 153, No. 11532.
• Tibiletti, Giuseppe. 1979. Le lettere private nei papiri greci del III e IV secolo d.C. Tra paganesimo e cristianesimo. Milano: Vita e Pensiero. 192-193, No. 32.

Authors

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023

Suggested citation

Victoria G. D. Landau, 2023, "Artefact ID 1726", 4CARE database - Fourth-Century Christian Archaeological Record of Egypt, https://4care-skos.mf.no/artefacts/1726

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External links

TM 32935 DDbDP (PN) HGV

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