| Artefact ID | 217 |
| TM ID | TM 16852 |
| Findspot (DEChriM ID) | 55 (Qarāra) | Class | Textual |
| Material | Papyrus |
| Writing medium | Sheet/roll |
| Text content | Documentary |
| Language | Greek |
| Archive/Dossier | Archive |
| Description | P.Lond. VI 1914: Report from Alexandria. Callistus, a Melitian monk or cleric, reports to Paieous and Patabeit, priests of the monastery of Hathor, on events that took place in Alexandria. He gives a circumstantial account of the sufferings of his fellow Melitians at the hands of Athanasius' adherents and of Athanasius himself, who was at the time in actual possession of the see of Alexandria.
Hand: Stylish, bureaucratic cursive with a few diacritics: diaeresis, apostrophes, nomina sacra (see Bagnall 2018: 96). Beginning of the letter on the recto, along the fibres, with 3 lines in the left margin (across the fibres, from top to bottom of the papyrus); the letter continues on the back, also along the fibres (the writing of the verso being at right angles to that on the recto). Address at the bottom edge of the verso, the reverse way up (across the fibres). |
| Selection criteria | Mention of Christian cult officials/institutions, Christian terms/formulas/concepts, Nomina sacra |
| Date from | 335 |
| Date to | 335 |
| Dating criteria | After 23 May 335 (?).
The letter is undated but mentions May 19 and May 23. The discussion of the historical context led the editor to the conclusion that it is "highly probable that [P.Lond. VI] 1914 is to be dated May-June 335" (Bell 1924: 57). |
| Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
| Archaeological context | Purchased with a lot comprising Papyri 2486-2542 from Maurice Nahman (b. 1868, d. 1948) in September 1922 (British Library website). |
| Accession number | London, British Library, Pap 2487 |
ARTEFACT IDENTIFIERS
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