Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/508
Context
One of the more interesting sources for travel, commerce, and food in
the eastern Mediterranean during Late Antiquity is a varied dossier of administrative,
financial, and domestic documents and letters that survive on papyri
(P.Ryl. 4 and P.Herm.Rees; see Matthews 2006). This
archive belonged to one Theophanes, a successful businessman and prominent resident of
Hermopolis in the Egyptian Thebaid during the early 4th century C.E. Memoranda from a
trip he made from Hermopolis to Syrian Antioch during late winter to summer of ca. 320
C.E. provide precious testimony for daily life and exchange along the way, including
stopovers at Caesarea going in both directions. In this passage, Theophanes records that
in the long final stage of the journey from Laodicea to Antioch, some of his entourage
stayed behind while he advanced, between May 2 and 5 (Pachon 7 to 11).
Text
Εὐδα[ίμονι] ὡς Λαδικί[ᾳ εἰς]ἄριστ[ον] (δραχμαὶ) ω´ὀψέ σοι ε̣[ἰ(ς)
δεῖπ(νον)] ἁπαλοῦ κρέως (δραχμαὶ) σ´ (290)Ὥρῳ ἀ[πὸ Λα]δικίας (δραχμαὶ) σ´Ἑρμῇ
μ[είνα]ν̣τι Λαδικί(ᾳ) (δραχμαὶ) Αφ´η´ ἐν τῷ [τα]βερ̣νίῳσπαθ[ία ἐ]πιβαλλ̣(όμενου)
γλυ(κέος) (δραχμαὶ) σ´η´ Εὐδαίμον[ι] ἀπὸ τ(οῦ) (αὐτοῦ) Ἑρμοῦ (295)ὑ(πὲρ) τιμ(ῆς)
κρ̣έ̣ω[ς ἐν Κ]α̣ι̣σαρηίᾳ (δραχμαὶ) ρ´εἰς θ´ Εὐδαίμ̣[ονι]
(δραχμαὶ) Αρ´εἰς ἄριστ(ον) [ -ca. ?- ] ̣ ̣ ̣ (δραχμαὶ) τ´Ἑρμῇ μ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣ ̣ ̣
̣ (δραχμαὶ) φ´ια´ Ἑρμῇ τ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ε̣ι̣ ̣( ) (δραχμαὶ) φ´ (300)1
Textual Note
Ed. Roberts and Turner 1952Corrigenda Note
Minor corrections (punctuation)Translation
[7? (Pachon)]: To Eudaimon for lunchat Ladikia 800 drachmaiLate to you for d[inner] fresh meat 200 drachmai (290)To Horos (coming) fr[om
La]dikia 200 drachmaiTo Hermes re[main]ing at Ladikia 1,500 drachmai8 (Pachon): At
the lodginga spath[ion] of syrup(?) for sweetening(?) 200 drachmai8 (Pachon): To
Eudaimon, also from Hermes, (295)for the cost of meat at
Kaisareia 100 drachmaiFor 9 (Pachon): to Eudaimon 1,100
drachmaiFor lunch [ ? ] 300 drachmaiTo Hermes re[maining at Ladikia?] 500 drachmai11 (Pachon): To Hermes [….] 500 drachmai (300)2
Translation Note
Revised from Matthews 2006Works Cited
- 1 C. H. Roberts and E. G. Turner, eds., Catalogue of the Greek Papyri in the John Rylands Library IV: Documents of the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine Periods (Nos. 552-717) (Manchester: University Press, 1952), bk: 4.627, col: verso col. v.288-300.
- 2 John Matthews, The Journey of Theophanes: Travel, Business, and Daily Life in the Roman East (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), p: 50-51, 55-56.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published April 28, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/508.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published April 28, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/508.About this Entry
Entry Title: Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. v.288-300”
Additional Credit:
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife