Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. vii.312-323
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/509
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 lists
expenses on the road to Antioch in a private account, including loaves of bread
purchased on April 21 (Pharmouthi 26), when he would have been at Caesarea.
Text
ἰδ[ίο]υ λόγου ̣[ ̣ ̣] ̣ιιη´ τ[ιμ(ῆς)] ψ̣ω̣μίων̣[ -ca. ?- ̣⟧ἐν
Ῥαφίᾳ ⟦τ[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ε̣⟧κδ´ ἐν Ἀσκάλω[ν -ca. ?- ] (315)τιμ(ῆς) ψωμίω̣[ν -ca. ?-
] (δραχμαὶ) ω´κε´ τιμ(ῆς) ψωμίω[ν -ca. ?- ] (δραχμαὶ) ω´κϛ´ τιμ(ῆς) ψω[μίων -ca. ?-
] (δραχμαὶ) ω´τιμ(ῆς) σαφω[νίου -ca. ?- ] (δραχμαὶ) ω´κζ´ τιμ(ῆς) ψωμί[ων -ca. ?-
] (δραχμαὶ) ω´ (320)κη´ ψωμί[ων -ca. ?- ] (δραχμαὶ) ω´κθ´ ψωμίω̣[ν -ca. ?- ]
(δραχμαὶ) ω´λ´ ψωμ̣[ίων -ca. ?- ] ̣ (δραχμαὶ) ω´1
Textual Note
Ed. Roberts and Turner 1952Corrigenda Note
Minor corrections (punctuation)Translation
Private account [….]:18 (Pharmouthi): c[ost] of loaves [ ]at
Raphia [….]24 (Pharmouthi): at Askalo[n ?] (315)cost of loave[s ] 800 drachmai25 (Pharmouthi): cost of loave[s ] 800 drachmai26 (Pharmouthi): cost of loa[ves ] 800
drachmaicost of soa[p ] 800 drachmai27 (Pharmouthi): cost of loav[es ] 800
drachmai (320)28 (Pharmouthi): loav[es ] 800 drachmai29 (Pharmouthi): loave[s ]
800 drachmai30 (Pharmouthi): loa[ves ] 800 drachmai2
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: 55.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. vii.312-323,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published April 28, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/509.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. vii.312-323.” 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/509.About this Entry
Entry Title: Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. vii.312-323
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. vii.312-323”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Theophanes of Hermopolis, Trip to Antioch, P.Ryl. 4.627 verso col. vii.312-323”
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