E02311: Greek order to a wine-merchant, from Oxyrhynchos (Middle Egypt), to deliver wine to the 'widows of *Kosmas and Damianos' (brothers, physicians martyrs of Syria, S00385); datable to the 6th century.

online resource

posted on 2017-02-02, 00:00 authored by gschenke

P.Oxy. 16 1955

An order addressed to a wine-merchant to deliver one double jar of wine to the 'widows of Kosmas and Damianos':

Βίκτορ̣ι οἰν̣ο̣π̣ρά̣τῃ.
δὸς ταῖς χήρ(αις) τοῦ̣ ἁγί(ου) Κο̣σ̣μᾶ
κ̣α̣ὶ̣ Δαμιαν̣ο̣ῦ̣ [ο]ἴ̣ν̣(ου) δι(πλοῦν) α μ̣(όνον).
Μεσορὴ ιϛ ἰν̣δ̣(ικτίονος) ε ἀρκ(ῇ) ϛ.

'To Viktor, wine-merchant. Give to the widows of saint Kosmas and Damianos one double jar of wine only. Mesore 16, indiction 5, beginning of 6.'

(Summary and text: B. P. Grenfell, A. S. Hunt, and H. I. Bell, trans.: G. Schenke)

A complete record of the document with images and bibliography can be found at:

http://papyri.info/ddbdp/p.oxy;16;1955

History

Evidence ID

E02311

Saint Name

Kosmas and Damianos, brothers, physician martyrs in Syria, ob. 285/287 : S00385

Saint Name in Source

Κοσμᾶς καὶ Δαμιανός

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Kosmas_and_Damianos_brothers_physician_martyrs_of_Syria/13730179

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - Other private document Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

500

Evidence not after

599

Activity not before

500

Activity not after

599

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Oxyrhynchos

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

Oxyrhynchos Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Places Named after Saint

Hospital and other charitable institutions

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Source

The document was found at Oxyrhynchos and is now housed in the Sackler Library at Oxford. it has been dated on palaeographical grounds.

Discussion

Very similar documents are E02130, E02310 and E02312, written by the same scribe on the same day, and addressed to the same wine-merchant (and E02126, by the same scribe and to the same wine-merchant, but on a different day), all ordering wines for charitable distribution to the widows of individual churches.

Bibliography

Edition: Grenfell, B.P., Hunt, A.S., and Bell, H.I., The Oxyrhynchus Papyri XVI, published by the Egypt Exploration Society in Graeco-Roman Memoirs (London, 1924), 219.