Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Greek account from Oxyrhynchos (Middle Egypt), listing among many expenses some paid to a martyr shrine (martyrion) of *Serenos/Sirenos (saint with martyr shrine at Oxyrhynchos, S00134); dated 557.

Evidence ID

E02303

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - List

Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet

P.Oxy. 16 1911

This very long document (belonging from the Apion Archive) lists the income and expenditure of large estates in wheat and money during the course of the year 557. Among the entries are many concerning expenses paid for churches and monasteries named after their founders (e.g. lines 70–76, 150, 147, 153–154), as well payments made to a martyr shrine of Saint Serenos, lines 92–95 (which happen to equal an entry in another annual account, P.Oxy. 55 3804, lines 164–167):

εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον τ̣[οῦ] ἁγί(ου) Σερήνου κατὰ δω[ρ]εὰν Ἀπολλῶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τ[οῦ] ἐπισκόπου
ἐν κτήμα(τι) Ταρουθίνου δικαίου τοῦ κτήμα(τος) Κοτυλεείου κατὰ τὸ ἔθος καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ε ἰνδ(ικτίονος)
σίτου κ(αγκέλλῳ) (ἀρτάβαι) γ̣ 𐅵 [  ̣] καὶ κατὰ δωρεὰν Φοιβάμμωνος υἱοῦ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἐκ Τοὲ δ(ιὰ)
Ἔρωτος καὶ Ἀμάτου καὶ τοῦ ἄ̣λ(λου) ἐργ(άτου) τῶν ἀμπέλ(ων) νο(μίσματα) β.

'To the martyrium of St Serenus according to a grant of Apollos son of the bishop in the holding of Taruthinu, in right of the holding of Cotyleeiu according to the custom, wheat by
cancellus art. 26, sol. 1 1/2, and according to a grant of Phoebammon son of the bishop in the holding Cotyleeiu from the ground of Eros and Amatus and of the vinedressers sol. 2.'


Text: B. P. Grenfell, A. S. Hunt, and H. I. Bell
Translation: J. R. Rea, in P.Oxy. 55 3804

A complete record of the document with images and bibliography can be found at: http://papyri.info/ddbdp/p.oxy;16;1911

Cult Places

Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Non Liturgical Activity

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Source

This large but slightly fragmentary papyrus document, P.Cairo 10154, is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.


Discussion

This payment to the martyr shrine of Serenos seems to have been made annually, as the same entry occurs in a list of expenditures concerning a different year, P.Oxy. 55 3804, lines 164–167.


Bibliography

Edition:
Grenfell, B.P., Hunt, A.S., and Bell, H.I., The Oxyrhynchus Papyri XVI, published by the Egypt Exploration Society in Graeco-Roman Memoirs (London, 1924), 144–157.


Record Created By

G. Schenke

Date of Entry

3/2/2017

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00134Sirenos/Serenos, saint with martyr shrine at OxyrhynchosΣερῆνοςUncertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
G. Schenke, Cult of Saints, E02303 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E02303