OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

6.8 x 18 cm.

Lines:

Col. I: 8Col.II: 8

Publication side:

Recto, the Verso is blank

Palaeographic description:

Written along the fibres, in two columns. The first hand is very cursve and 'verschleift', the first letter(s) of a word written clearly, while the remaining letters are written in a sawtooth manner. The second hand is easy to read. The other hands are also cursive but less so than the 1st hand.

State of preservation:

Light brown papyrus. The left side is broken, so the first five letters are missing, otherwise the papyrus is complete.

Content

Date:

90/91 A.D.

Origin:

Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Keras, son of Sambathion

Title / Type of text:

Penthemeros certificate

Content:

Certificate that Keras, son of Sambathion, has worked five days on the embankments.

Subjects:

Certificate Penthemeral dike corvee Work Dike Irrigation Taxation

Named people:

Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus, emperor Peteus, son of Peteus and Apollonarion Apollonarion, mother of Peteus Peteus, son of Kollouthos(?) and father of Peteus Dionysios Hephaistion Sarapion Keras, son of Sambathion and Tapynchis, grandson of Pnepheros Tapynchis, mother of Keras Sambathion, son of Pnepheros and father of Keras

Named places:

Karanis dioryx Psennophris

English translation:

Col. I:The tenth year of Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus. Has worked in (2.hand) the Psennophris canal (1.hand) for five days on the dikes for the same tenth year (2nd hand) on behalf of Karanis: (3rd hand) Peteus, the younger son of Peteus, son of Kollouthos(?), his mother being Apollonarion. (4th hand) I, Dionysios, have signed. (5th hand) I, Hephaistion, have signed for Peteus. (6th hand) I, Sarapion, have signed.Col. II:The tenth year of Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus. Has worked in (2nd hand) the Psennophris canal (1st hand) for the five days on the dikes of the same tenth year (2nd hand) on behalf of Karanis, (3rd hand) Keras, son of Sambathion, son of Pnepheros, his mother being Tapynchis. (4th hand) I, Hephaistion, have signed for Keras. (5th hand) I, Sarapion, have signed.

Provenance:

Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased by L. Amundsen from M. Nahman, Cairo, Feb. 18, 1929

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eliassen M de Kat, SO 40, 1965, 46-47
  SB: VIII 9924c
• Sijpesteijn PJ, Chr. d'Eg. 53, 1978, 135-136
  SB: XIV 11892
  ▾ Corrections:

  • Sijpesteijn PJ, P.MIch. XV, 690 (l. 5,13,14,15,16) Sijpesteijn PJ, Chr.d'Ég. 58 (1983) p. 209 (l.6,14)

Further Literature

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