OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

frg A: 10.5 x 13.5 cm.frg B: 10.9 x 12.5 cm.

Lines:

28

Publication side:

Recto, the Verso is blank

Palaeographic description:

24 ff. seem to be written in a new hand rather than with a different pen.

State of preservation:

Light brown papyrus. Both fragments have been gummed on to other fragments (to be published later).

Content

Date:

Oct. 18, 295 A.D.

Origin:

Philadelphia, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Aurelius Marsyas, son of Anoubas

Title / Type of text:

Loan of wheat

Content:

Aurelius Marsyas acknowledges to have borrowed wheat from Aurelius Cornelianus, to be repayed in the month of Pauni without delay.

Subjects:

Contract Loan Wheat

Named people:

Aurelius Marsyas, son of Anoubas and Isaious Aurelius Cornelianus Aurelius Alypio, scribe Diocletianus Augustus, emperor Maximianus Augustus, emperor:Constantius, emperor

Named places:

Dimior Memphite nome Philadelphia Arsinoite nome

English translation:

Aurelius Marsoias (for Marsyas) son of Anoubas,his mother being Isaious, from the village of Dimior in the Memphite district, to Aurelius Cornelianus from the village of Philadelphia in the Arsinoite district, greetings. I acknowledge to have and to have received from you in the village of Philadelphia on loan for my use five artabae of wheat containing the additional one half, (in total) one four choinix measure, which I shall necessarily repay to you in the month of Pauni in the aforementioned village without delay. And the right of execution on demand shall rest with you against me and against the entire of my property as if in accordance with a legal decision. This contract, written in two copies, shall be valid as if deposited in the public archive and, having been asked, I have agreed. ............... I, Aurelius Marsyas, got the artabae of wheat, five artabae containing the additional one half in one metron. I, Aurelius Alypios, wrote this for him, since he is illiterate. (2nd hand): In the 12th and 11th and 4th year of our Lords Diocletianus and Maximianus Augusti and Constantius and Maximianus, the most notable Caesars, Phaophi 20.

Provenance:

Probably Philadelphia, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased 1923 through British Museum, with M. Nahman as the dealer. Cf. the reports and the inventory list by H. I. Bell

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo II, 1931, 37

Further Literature

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