P.Mich.inv. 5397

About this Item

Related Views

unspecified | summary (1 items)

Record Details

Inventory Number

P.Mich.inv. 5397

Processing Number

2451

Section/Side

Recto + Verso

Background and Physical Properties

Publ./Side

Recto + Verso

Connections

archive of Claudius Tiberianus

Material

Pap

Size

24 X 22 cm

Items

1

Lines

Recto - 30 + 1 in left margin

Verso - 3

Mounted

No

Negative

Yes

Negative in Copenhagen

yes (+ verso)

Conservation Status

damaged mainly along the folds on the left side

Palaeographic Description

See electronic version of PMich VIII, 476

Status

published

Library

Cairo

Contents

Date

(Early) IInd century A.D.

Origin

unknown place (in or near Alexandria?), province of Egypt

Provenance

Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Acquisition

28-B167D2-H

Language

Greek

Genre

Documentary

Author

Claudius Terentianus

Type of Text/Title of Work

Private Letter

Content

Letter from Claudius Terentianus to his father(?) Claudius Tiberianus, seeking to win his father's consent for bringing a woman into his household

Subject Headings

Army

Concubinage (& marriage)

Family

Feeding

Religion

Citizenship--Rome.

Personal status: slavery(?)

Woman

Soldiers--Rome.

Persons

Claudius Terentianus, soldier (see P. Mich. VIII, 467-481 introd.);

his father(?) Claudius Tiberianus (see P. Mich. VIII, 467-481 introd.);

Achillas;

(unnamed) stratiotes;

Iulius;

Didymos, nomikos;

Longinus;

Cursilla

Epitynchanon

Geographica

a Caesareum; Arsinoite nome

Translation

Claudius Terentianus to Claudius Tiberianus, his lord and father, very many greetings. Before all else I pray for your health and success, which are my wish. I myself am in good health and make obeisance for you daily in the presence of our lord Sarapis and the gods who share his temple. I want you to know, father, that I have received a basket (kalathion) from Achillas. Likewise, another basket was given to me by the soldier, in which I found two large loaves of bread and dates, and from the father of Iulius a small basket (sphyridallion) and my small baskets (talaria) and a sword-sheath. He sent me word about a woman; with my consent he was buying(?) one for me. As far back as two years ago I would have taken a woman into my house, but I did not permit myself nor do I permit myself to take anyone without your approval, and you will not hear otherwise from me on this subject. If perchance the woman whom I decide to bring down is one able to be the more kindly disposed toward you for my sake(?) and to take more thought for you than for me, the outcome is that I do you a favor rather than that you blame me. On this account, lacking your approval, until today no woman has come into my house. You are aware, for another thing, that I have relieved you of your difficulties; [and if(?)] you remain steadfast in refusal the rest of your life, I shall do without my woman. If not, the woman whom you approve is the one whom I also want. I wrote you this letter at night, having found an opportunity, but I was not able to send it. Please write me a reply about your well-being and about the letter. Salute all those in the Caesareum, each by name. Salute Didymos, the notary, together with his entire household. You will tell Longinus that I hope to go upcountry again. For one thing I thank the gods, that I gave you more than the eight drachmai. If I had not, the same thing would have happened. And if you go up to the Arsinoite nome, go to Cursilla and get the five logs of timber and bring them when you come as well as anything else that you are able to bring down to us for the winter. Epitynchanon salutes you. Salute all your friends, each by name.

(Verso) Deliver to Claudius Tiberianus . . . from Claudius Terentianus, his son, a soldier of the legion.

Papyri.info Link

https://papyri.info/apis/michigan.apis.2451

Information on Publications

Publications

Series and Volume	Editor	Year	Pg/Nr	Photo	SB	Preferred Citation	Corrections
PMich VIII	Winter JG-Youtie HC	1951	476	Pl. VI	Winter JG-Youtie HC, PMich VIII, 476, 1951, Pl. VI -- BL IV, 55 (on origin); BL VII, 111 (on line 10; bibliography); BL VIII, 215 (bibliography); BL IX, 161 (bibliography)	BL IV, 55 (on origin); BL VII, 111 (on line 10; bibliography); BL VIII, 215 (bibliography); BL IX, 161 (bibliography)
Light from Ancient Letters	White J.L.	1986	110	White J.L., Light from Ancient Letters, 110, 1986

Information on Publications--Bibliography

Bibliography

G.B. Pighi, Lettere latine d'un soldato di Traiano (Bologna, 1964) p. 73-75; R.W. Davies, BASP 10 (1973) p. 21-25; H.C. Youtie, Le monde grec. Hommages à Claire Préaux (Bruxelles, 1975) p. 736, n. 6; G. Calboli, Latin vulgaire - latin tardif II. Actes du IIe Colloque international sur le latin vulgaire et tardif (Tuebingen, 1990) p. 23-44; S. Strassi, APF 52/2 (2006), 218-243

Cataloging

Cataloger

PH

Year Begin

100

Year End

199

Technical Details

Collection

Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS UM)

Record

2451

Link to this Item

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-2451/1 content_copy