OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

12.8 x 11.8 cm.

Lines:

Recto - 12;Verso - 2 (barely legible)

Publication side:

Recto; address on the Verso?

Palaeographic description:

The farewell-wish is written in a second handOn the verso, in a corner, there are traces of letters, rubbed off from another letter or document. Using a mirror one can read: Apollonio philt pleista:The Apollonios, mentioned in our letter, may just be the addressee

State of preservation:

–

Content

Date:

IInd century A.D.

Origin:

Oxyrhynchite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Serapion

Title / Type of text:

Private letter

Content:

Private letter from Serapion to Potamon, begging him to give information about the market situation in his district, as the one in the Oxyrhynchus area is getting worse every day.

Subjects:

Letter Market

Named people:

Serapion Potamon Apollonios

Named places:

Oxyrhynchite nome

English translation:

Serapion to his dearest Potamon, greeting. Above all I think it is necessary to greet you through a letter. I urge you, dear, to write to me about the market in your district (?). For the market in the Oxyrhynchos district is less favourable, since ordinances of scrupulous officials arrive every day. I greet all your family and your master Apollonios, the exceptional friend.Farewell.

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased 1923 through British Museum. Cf. the reports and the inventory list writen by H.I.Bell

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo II, 1931, 49
  ▾ Corrections:

  • Preisendanz K, Philologische Wochenschrift 52 (1932) p. 232 (l. 7f.)Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo III (1936) p. 276 (date)

Further Literature

Discussions

• Arzt-Grabner, P. (2023). Letters and Letter Writing. Brill Schöningh. On the formula πρὸ πάντων ἥγημαι δι' ἐπιστολῆς σε ἀσπάσασθαι ll. 3-4; see pp. 58-59 (cf. p. 118).