Coptic settlement of a dispute over inheritance, from Jeme (Upper Egypt), recording an oath sworn at a shrine (topos) dedicated to Abba *Viktor (presumably the martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos, S00749); dated 10 September 728.
E04027
Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet
Documentary texts - Other private document
P.KRU 44:
In this document a dispute over inheritance is settled after an oath has been sworn by one of the parties involved, serving as proof of sincerity. The oath was sworn by the power of the altar in the shrine of Abba Viktor.
Lines 20–25 read as follows:
[ⲛ]ⲧⲟⲕ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲙⲱⲛ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲕⲁⲗⲗⲓⲛⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲁⲅⲱⲛⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ [ⲁ]ⲃⲃⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ
ⲡⲣⲟⲥ ⲧϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲧⲙⲉⲍⲉⲧⲉⲓⲁ ⲛⲧⲁⲩ[ϩⲟⲣⲓ]ⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟ[ⲥ] ⲉϫⲱⲛ ⲉⲁⲕⲡⲗⲏⲣⲟⲫⲟⲣⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ϫⲉ ϣⲉ {ⲡⲉ}ⲧϭⲟⲙ
ⲙⲡⲉⲑⲩⲥⲓⲁⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲧⲓⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲣϫ ϫⲉ
'You, Phoibammon, inside (the church/shrine of) the gloriously triumphant one and the champion, saint Abba Viktor at this same castron (Jeme), due to the power of the mediation that was arranged for us, you assured us in this way: "By the power of the altar: I know with certainty that …'
At the end of the document, the oath is referred to again and repeated in full. Its introductory formula is recorded in line 140 as follows:
+ ⲓⲥⲱⲛ ⲟⲣⲕ(ⲟⲥ)
ϣⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϣⲉ ⲧⲉϥϭⲟⲙ ϯϩⲛ ⲡⲉⲓⲁⲛⲁϣ ⲧⲁⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ
'Copy of the oath:
By this holy shrine (topos) (and) by its power, I am (bound) through this oath (and) my soul is in it.'
(Text: W. E. Crum and G. Steindorff, German trans. W. C. Till, Engl. trans. G. Schenke)
Cult building - unspecified
Non Liturgical ActivityOath
Source
The papyrus document BM Or. 4884 is housed at the British Museum in London.Discussion
For a similar procedure used to settle a dispute over inheritance see E04024 where an oath is sworn inside (the church/shrine of) saint Kyriakos at Jeme. For evidence of the same procedure in other provinces, see E03663 (P.Petra IV 39).Bibliography
Edition and Translation:Crum, W.E., and Steindorff, G., Koptische Rechtsurkunden des achten Jahrhunderts aus Djeme (Theben) (Leipzig, 1971), 151–157.
Till, W.C., Erbrechtliche Untersuchungen auf Grund der koptischen Urkunden (Vienna, 1954), 136–140 (German Translation).
Gesa Schenke
18/9/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00749 | Viktor, martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos; and companion martyrs | ϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ [ⲁ]ⲃⲃⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣⲟⲥ | Certain |
|---|
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