OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

11.5 x 16.2 cm.

Lines:

28

Publication side:

Recto (Verso: blank)

Palaeographic description:

The text is written along the fibres, with medium to small, upright cursive letters, executed swiftly by the practised hand of a public notary. Letter forms appear fluid; different cursive versions of the same letters are to be observed.

State of preservation:

Fragment from a medium brown sheet of papyrus preserving 28 lines of text along with the upper (1.5 cm) and parts of left margin (2 cm at its widest). The upper right part of the sheet appears neatly cut; line ends reached the edge of the sheet leaving no free space for a right margin. A kollesis is visible a few millimetres before the right edge. The upper part of the document is in relatively good state of preservation. The bottom breaks off at line 28.

Content

Date:

August 29 - September 27, 246 or 256 A.D.

Origin:

Oxyrhynchos, Oxyrhynchite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Aurelius Diogenes son of Herakleides & Aurelius Demetrius, alias Diodoros

Title / Type of text:

Contract for substitution in a liturgy

Content:

Part of a private agreement between the residents of Oxyrhynchus Aurelius Diogenes son of Heracleides and Sarapias, and Aurelius Demetrius alias Diodorus, regulating the terms of synallaxis, i.e. a transfer from the former to the latter of the obligation to perform the annual liturgy of the transport service by donkey.

Subjects:

Contract Liturgy (compulsory public service) Donkey Transport

Named people:

Aurelius Diogenes, son of Herakleides and Sarapias Aurelius Demetrios, alias Diodoros Aurelius Hierax, phylarchos

Named places:

Oxyrhynchos

English translation:

Aurelius Diogenes son of Herakleides, his mother being Sarapias, from the city of Oxyrhynchus, who has been nominated by Aurelius Hierax, phylarch for the current fourth year, to contribute the two thirds of one donkey as his share in the public service of onelasia, and Demetrios alias Diodoros and however he is styled, mutually acknowledge: (that) Diogenes has transferred to Demetrios alias Diodoros the two thirds of the aforementioned one donkey, his share in the aforesaid onelasia, to the effect that Diodoros will perform it for its appointed annual duration, from now until the fifth of the intercalary days of the current fourth year, offering his services daily to the strategos of the nome and to whoever else might be necessary; (that) he, on account of the two thirds of the onelasia, will provide (x number of ?/ adj.) donkeys to those carrying the sigilla (seals or sealed official ordinances?) from ... and to whoever else it is appropriate, receiving from the aforesaid Diogenes as compensation for the labour of each donkey and for food provisions and wages and expenses and [... for the aforesaid ?] period of time [one thousand ...?] silver drachmas, which he will receive from the aforesaid [Diogenes who] will pay: in the following month, Phaophi, four hundred drachmas ... in Phamenoth x hundred drachmas, in Pachon, two hundred and in Epeiph, the rest of the money ... without delay; besides, he will also receive from the aforesaid Diogenes as special payments.... choinix/kes (?) ..., of wine (?) ...

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased from M.Nahman, Cairo, Sept. 1934

Acquisition year:

1934

Editions

• Maravela-Solbakk, A., ZPE 149, 2004, 177-182 (no. 1), picture: p. 179
  SB: 28 17262

Further Literature

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