E02164: Greek list concerning grain payments for cleaning services at saints feasts, mentioning the feast of Apa *Sion (Arsinoite saint, S01177), from the region of Hermopolis (Middle Egypt) or the Fayum (Lower Egypt); datable to the 5th century.
'List of cleaning (activity) as follows: On the feast day of saint Apa Sion: two artabas of wheat. On the feast day of saint Apa […]: […] artabas of wheat. …’
Text and German translation: W.C. Till. English translation: G. Schenke.
A full record of the document complete with image is available at:
The papyrus P.Vindob. G 25430 is housed at the papyrus collection at Vienna. The inventory number suggested a provenance from the area of Hermopolis, although a saint Apa Sion or Apasion is so far only attested in the area of the Fayum (Arsinoites). The text has been dated to the 5th century on palaeographical grounds.
Discussion
The payments mentioned here in measures of wheat are mentioning the place of cleaning, most likely the church or monastery of Apa Sion rather than a town district or street named after the saint. The recipients of the payment are not mentioned.
A monastery of Apa Sion is known from the area of the Fayum, see E02180 , as well as E02181
Bibliography
Edition:
Diethart, J.M., Corpus Papyrorum Raineri vol. 9, Griechische Texte 6 (Vienna, 1984), 87–88.
Mention:
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 191.