E01146: Papyrus from Hermopolis (Middle Egypt) with Greek and Coptic scribal exercises, mentioning an oratory of Abba *Theodore 'Stratelates' (general and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00136), written in the 8th century.

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posted on 2016-02-24, 00:00 authored by Bryan

CPR 4 34 The papyrus displays a large collection of Greek and Coptic model phrases for delivery contracts written by one and the same scribe. CPR 4 34,41–42: [δίκαιο]ν εὐαγοῦς εὐκτηρίου τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἀθρηφόρου καὶ στρατηλάτου ἄββ[α] Θ[εοδ]ώρου τ[ῶν ἀγο]ραίον '… the [dikaion?] of the sacred oratory (eukterion) of the saint and prize-bearer (ἀθλοφόρου) and Stratelates Abba Theodore [of those] on the agora.' Text: Till 1958. Translation: Gesa Schenke.

History

Evidence ID

E01146

Saint Name

Theodore 'Stratelates', general and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita : S00136 Theodore, soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita : S00480

Saint Name in Source

Θ[εοδ]ώρ

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - Other private document

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

700

Evidence not after

799

Activity not before

700

Activity not after

799

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Hermopolis

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Hermopolis Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - unspecified

Source

CPR 4 34 is a fragmentary papyrus belonging to the Papyrus Collection in Vienna, inv. K 4912B. The handwriting of the document has been dated to the 8th century.

Discussion

The fact that phrases involving an oratory of Abba Theodore Stratelates were practised, suggests that this oratory was the addressee of multiple contracts and other written documents and therefore much involved in economic matters, an aspect to which its location 'on the market place' likewise points.

Bibliography

Editions: Till, W.C., Corpus Papyrorum Raineri IV (CPR IV): Die koptischen Rechtsurkunden der Papyrussammlung der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, 1958), 39–42. Harrauer, H., and Sijpesteijn, P.J., Neue Texte aus dem antiken Unterricht (Vienna, 1985), 102–103. Further reading: Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 96-100, 423.