OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

21 x 10.9 cm.

Lines:

Recto - 19;Verso - 1

Publication side:

Recto; the address on the Verso, otherwise it is blank

Palaeographic description:

Written in a skilled, but large, flourishing and bold hand with an altogether personal and individual character.

State of preservation:

–

Content

Date:

Ist century A.D.

Origin:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Charitous

Title / Type of text:

Private letter

Content:

Letter from Charitous to her brother Pompeius, informing him that she has attended to a matter he has previously asked her to take care of.

Subjects:

Letter Family Scribe

Named people:

Charitous Pompeius, brother of Charitous Zoilas, son of Argaios Argaios Herennia Pompeis Syrion Thaïsous

Named places:

–

English translation:

Charitous to Pompeius, her brother, greeting. I wish you to know that I have attended to the matter concerning which you wrote me. I went to Zoilas, son of Argaios, and he went to the office of the royal scribe and made investigation and did not find your name written in the roll. Well then, come rather quickly up to your home. Salute the children of Herennia, and Pompeis and Syrion and Thaïsous and her children and her husband and all my friends. Be of good health.Verso:Deliver from Charitous to Pompeius, her brother.

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased in 1934 from Maurice Nahman, Cairo

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, Aegyptus 31, 1951, 177-179
  SB: VI 9120

Further Literature

White, John L., Light from ancient letters, Philadelphia, c1986 (no. 91, p. 142-143) Bagnall & Cribiore, Women's letters from ancient Egypt 300 BC-AD 800, 2006, p.120-130