OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

12.7 x 12 cm.

Lines:

12

Publication side:

Recto, the Verso is blank

Palaeographic description:

–

State of preservation:

The letter bears marks of having been folded in an extraordinary manner (two vertical folds, with a small interval between), bur the size of the missing part of the right side may approximately be calculated, line 3 being complete

Content

Date:

IInd century A.D.

Origin:

Skandips, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Ammonios

Title / Type of text:

Recommendation letter

Content:

Private letter from Ammonion to Dioskoros, containing a recommendation.

Subjects:

Letter Recommendation

Named people:

Ammonios Dioskoros Heras, grammateus georgon Marcus

Named places:

Skandips

English translation:

Ammonios to the most honourable Dioskoros greeting. Heras, the one who brings you the letter, is a farmers' scribe in Ska[ndips] and he has an apology to give for the delivered report. I ask [you to accompany] him to Markos so that [he can take care of] him until I come, since I [care] about him. Think of the goodwill [I shall have] towards you because of [your disposition. [I hope you are well.]

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased by Eitrem in Egypt 1920

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo II, 1931, 51
  ▾ Corrections:

  • Schmidt KFW, Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen 194 (1932) p. 284 (l. 4)Wilcken U, APF 10 (1932) p. 86 (l. 9f.)

Further Literature

Discussions

• Arzt-Grabner, P. (2023). Letters and Letter Writing. Brill Schöningh. On the use of the verb παρακαλέω l. 6 in making requests generally, and in letters of recommendations, specifically; see pp. 38 & 142.