Record | The Cult of Saints

Coptic document from Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt) preserving the oath sworn at a shine, possibly that of *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080), in the presence of the head of the village, to settle a financial dispute; dated 17 March 701.

Evidence ID

E05929

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd

Documentary texts - Other private document

O.Crum 131

This oath is sworn by a woman named Susanna acknowledging the sanctity and power of the shrine (topos) where she swears her oath to her son Peter in the presence of the village head, stating that her son Pses has not received any financial gifts other than a gold coin on the occasion of his marriage.

               + ϣⲉ ⲡⲉⲓⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ
                  ϣⲉ ⲧⲉϥϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲡⲉⲓϯ ⲗⲁⲩⲉ ⲛⲯⲏⲥ
                  ⲡⲁϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲉⲓⲱⲧ ϯ ⲛⲁϥ
         4       ⲉⲓⲙⲏⲧⲓ ⲉⲩϩⲟⲗⲟⲕ(ⲟⲧⲧⲓⲛⲟⲥ) ⲛⲟⲣⲑⲟⲛ ⲙⲙⲁⲧⲉ
                  ϩⲁ ⲥⲭⲁⲧ ἔγρα(ψεν) Φαμενωθ κα ἰνδ(ικτίονος) τεσσαρεσκαι-
                  δεκάτης ⳨ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲛⲁϣ ⲛⲧⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲥⲁⲛⲛⲁ
                  ⲟⲣⲕϥ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲡⲓ ⲍⲁⲭⲁⲣⲓⲁ
         8       ⲥⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗⲓⲟⲩ ⲧⲟⲩ ⲧⲓⲙⲓⲱⲧ(ⲁⲧⲟⲩ) ⲡⲣⲱⲧⲟⲕⲟⲙⲏⲧⲟⲩ +

“By this holy shrine (topos) and by its power, I have not given anything to my son Pses, nor has his father given anything to him, except for only a complete solidus for the marriage gift. Written on day 21 of Phamenoth, indiction 14. This is the oath which Susanna has sworn to her son Petros, before Zacharia (son of) Samuelios, the most honourable village head.”

(Text: W. E. Crum; trans.: G. Schenke)

Cult Places

Cult building - unspecified

Non Liturgical Activity

Oath

Source

The ostracon is kept at the British Museum in London.

Discussion

For an oath sworn by the power of saint Apa Phoibammon concerning a financial dispute, see E05703.

Bibliography

Text and translation:
Crum, W.E., Coptic Ostraca from the Collections of the Egypt Exploration Fund (London, 1902), pp. 27 and 28. = O.Crum

German translation:
Till, W.C., Die Koptischen Rechtsurkunden aus Theben (Vienna, 1964), 49.

Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

9/7/2018

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S00080	Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut		Uncertain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E05929 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E05929

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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