P.Mich.inv. 281 / Recto

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Record Details

Inventory Number: P.Mich.inv. 281
Processing Number: 1636
Section/Side: Recto + Verso
Image Side: Recto

Background and Physical Properties

Publ./Side: Recto + Verso
Material: Pap
Size: 28.5 x 22.5 cm
Items: 1
Lines: Recto - 39; Verso - 2
Mounted: No
Negative: No
Conservation Status: Lower left corner broken off; damaged along the folds; very brittle. The (brownish) ink has frequently eaten through the papyrus, leaving, however, the faint outlines of letters
Palaeographic Description: The writing is on the recto in a clear, upright hand with relatively little linking of letters, of medium size and excellent appearance. The papyrus is so thin that the ink of the recto shows through on the verso in many places. (Winter)
Status: published
Library: Ann Arbor

Date: 114-116 A.D. (October 22)
Origin: Pselkis, Nubia, province of Egypt
Provenance: Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Acquisition: purchased in Egypt by B.P. Grenfell and F.W. Kelsey in March-April 1920
Language: Greek
Genre: Documentary
Author: Satornilos
Type of Text/Title of Work: Private Letter
Content: Letter written by Saturnilus, a soldier stationed at Pselkis (Nubia), to his mother Aphrodous, who lived at Karanis. He announces the birth of a son and says that he hopes, and will eventually pay, to be sent with letters for the prefect in Alexandria, so that he could visit her before he has to leave Pselkis for a tour of duty in a frontier garrison, eighteen months long
Subject Headings: Swine--Egypt--Pselkis (Extinct city); Rome--Army--Corrupt practices.; Birth announcements--Rome.; Children--Egypt--Pselkis (Extinct city); Family--Egypt--Pselkis (Extinct city); Family--Egypt--Karanis (Extinct city).; Olive--Egypt--Egypt--Pselkis (Extinct city); Romans--Egypt|vCorrespondence.; Postal service--Egypt--Pselkis (Extinct city); Slaves--Rome.; Romans--Egypt--Travel.; Romans--Egypt--Social life and customs.; Soldiers|vCorrespondence.; Mothers|vCorrespondence.
Persons: Satornilos (Saturnilus, Saturninus), stratiotes;; Aphroditous, mother of Satornilos;; Iulius;; (unnamed) paidarion of Iulius;; Agathos Daimon, son of Satornilos (and of Gemella?);; (unnamed) prefect of Egypt (hegemon) (probably Marcus Rutilius Lupus);; Ioulas son of Iulius (& unnamed brother);; Sokmenios (Sokmenis) & children;; Sabinus;; Thaisas (& children);; Tabenka, sister of Satornilos (& husband and children);; Tasokmenis;; Sambas;; Soueris (& children);; Sambous;; Gemella (mother of Satornilos' children?);; Didymarion (daughter of Satornilos and Gemella?);; Epiktetos;; Gemellos;; [---] wife [...]lianos;; Traianus, emperor
Geographica: Pselkis; Karanis
Translation: Satornilos to Aphrodous, his mother, very many greetings. Before all things I pray for your health and prosperity. I wish you to know that I sent you three letters this month. I have received in full the monthly allowances which you sent to me by Iulius and a basket of olives by the lad of Iulius. I wish you to know that another male child has been born to me, whose name is Agathos Daimon. The gods willing, if I find an opportunity of putting my plan into effect I am coming to you with letters. I wish you to know that it is now three months since I came to Pselkis, and I have not yet found an opportunity to come to you. I was afraid to come just now because they say: that the prefect is on the road, lest he take the letters from me and send me back to the troops, and I incur the expense in vain. But I wish you to know that if another two months pass and I do not come to you before the month Hathyr I have eighteen more months of sitting ingarrison until I enter Pselkis again and come to you. All those who come will bear witness to you how I seek daily to come. If you wish to see me a little, I wish it greatly and pray daily to the gods that they may quickly give me a good chance to come. Everything in the army runs with the favorable chance. If I have the opportunity I am coming to you. Take care of my children's pigs for me so that if my children come they may find them. At the next opportunity please send to Ioulas, the son of Iulius, whatever allowance you can, and let him be as a son of mine, even as you love me and I [love] my children. If his brother is at leisure send him to me at once so that I may send my children and their mother to you by him. [Send] me an extra jar of olives for a friend of mine; do not fail to [do] so. You know that whatever you give to Iulius he brings me, which he indeed promised me to do. Write to me [whatever] he does. Salute Sokmenios and his children and [. . .] and Sabinus and Thaisas and her children and my brothers and my sister Tabenka and her husband and her relations-in-law. And write to me if she has had a child. Salute Tasokmenis, my lady sister, and Sambas and Soueris and her [children] and Sambous and all the relations and friends, [each by name]. Gemella salutes you all, as do Didymarion and the [newly-born] Agathos Daimon and Epiktetos. Salute Gemellus [and . . .] the wife of [. . .]lianus. And it was no great matter [- - -]. I pray for health to you all.; [The . . . year of Trajan], most Excellent, Caesar, our lord. Phaophi 25.; (Verso); To Karanis; to his mother(?) Aphrodous(?), the daughter of . . ., from Saturnilus, a soldier.
Papyri.info Link: https://papyri.info/apis/michigan.apis.1636

Information on Publications

Publications: Series and Volume Editor Year Pg/Nr Photo SB Preferred Citation Corrections

CP 22 Winter JG 1927 249-254 SB IV 7356 Winter JG, CP 22, 249-254, 1927 -- SB IV 7356 -- BL III, 184 (l. 7; bibliography) BL III, 184 (l. 7; bibliography)

PMich III Winter JG 1936 203 Winter JG, PMich III, 203, 1936 -- BL III, 111 (l. 7); BL VII, 109 (date; l. 19); BL VIII, 212 (bibliography) BL III, 111 (l. 7); BL VII, 109 (date; l. 19); BL VIII, 212 (bibliography)

Information on Publications--Bibliography

Bibliography: U. Wilcken, Archiv 9 (1928) p. 88-89; O.O. Kruger, Problemui Istorii dokapitalissticheskikh Obshchestv 9-10 (1934) p. 204-210 (cf. T.C. Skeat, JEA 22 [1936] p. 92); S.G. Kapsomenakis, Voruntersuchungen zu einer Grammatik der Papyri der nachchristlichen Zeit = Muench.Beitr. 28 (Muenchen, 1938) p. 48, n. 2; G. Foti Talamanca, Ricerche sul processo nell'Egitto greco-romano I (Milano, 1974) p. 115-116; G. Bastianini, ZPE 17 (1975) p. 282, n. 2; H.C. Youtie, ZPE 20 (1976) p. 288-292; M.P. Speidel, YCS 28 (1985) p. 291-293; R. Haensch, Akten des 21. Internationalen Papyrologenkongresses. Berlin, 13.-19.8.1995 (Stuttgart - Leipzig, 1997) p. 356, n. 138

Availability/System Requirements

Time to Scan: 25
Scanner Initials: CT
Date Scanned: 6/18/1996
Institution: sr

Cataloging

Cataloger: PH
Year Begin: 114
Year End: 116

Technical Details

Collection: Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS UM)
Image Size: 6599 x 7465
File Size: 6 MB
Record: 1636
Link to this Item: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-1636/281r.tif

Rights and Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact APIS Help. If you would like to request high-resolution images, please contact the Papyrology Collection. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact Library Information Technology.

No Copyright. This work has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

IIIF

Manifest: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/apis:1636:281R.TIF

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Full citation: "P.Mich.inv. 281; Recto." In the digital collection Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS UM). https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-1636/281r.tif. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 24, 2024.

Series and Volume	Editor	Year	Pg/Nr	Photo	SB	Preferred Citation	Corrections
CP 22	Winter JG	1927	249-254	SB IV 7356	Winter JG, CP 22, 249-254, 1927 -- SB IV 7356 -- BL III, 184 (l. 7; bibliography)	BL III, 184 (l. 7; bibliography)
PMich III	Winter JG	1936	203	Winter JG, PMich III, 203, 1936 -- BL III, 111 (l. 7); BL VII, 109 (date; l. 19); BL VIII, 212 (bibliography)	BL III, 111 (l. 7); BL VII, 109 (date; l. 19); BL VIII, 212 (bibliography)