Greek order from Oxyrhynchos (Middle Egypt) for the supply of wine to widows of the church 'of Ptoleminos', almost certainly named after the founder of the institution; datable to the 5th/6th century.
Evidence ID
E02130
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Other private document
P.Oxy. 67 4621
Βίκτορι οἰνοπράτῃ.
δὸς ταῖς χήρ(αις) ἐκκλ(ησίας) Πτολεμίνου
οἴν(ου) δι(πλᾶ) ε μ(όνα). Μεσορὴ ιϛ, ἰνδ(ικτίωνος) ε
ἀρχ(ῇ) ϛ.
'To Victor, wine-merchant. Give to the widows of the church of Ptoleminos 5 double jars of wine only. Mesore 16, indiction 5, beginning of the 6th.’
Text and translation: N. Gonis
A full record of this document, complete with image is available at: http://papyri.info/ddbdp/p.oxy;67;4621
Cult Places
Cult building - independent (church)
Non Liturgical ActivityDistribution of alms
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesWomen
Source
The papyrus P.Oxy. 67 4621 is located at Oxford, Sackler Library, Papyrology Rooms, 31B.79/F(1–3)a. The document is dated on palaeographical grounds.Discussion
Very similar documents are E02310, E02311 and E02312, all written by the same scribe and on the same day as our document, 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.The name Ptoleminos is well attested in Oxyrhynchos, but so far not associated with a saint. The lack of the term hagios prior to the name suggests that Ptoleminos was not a saint, but the founder of the church. We have included this document in our database, because it is so clearly part of a set (the others of which were associated with saints); and as a reminder that not all late antique churches were named after saints.
Bibliography
Edition:Gonis, N., "P.Oxy. 67 4621. Order to Supply Wine," in: R.A. Coles (ed.), The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, vol. LXVII (London, 2001), 253–254.
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
15/12/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00518 | Saints, unnamed | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E02130 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E02130