P.Mich.inv. 4301: an Introduction
This interactive project is part of the series Reading the Papyri,
a learning resource for K-12 and college students interested in
classical languages and ancient history. In this project, you will
be taking an in-depth look at a documentary Latin text from the
University of Michigan Papyrus Collection.
Nearly all of the papyri that survive today come from Egypt, since
the region's climatic conditions are ideal for preservation. Latin
texts from Egypt are relatively rare, as the major languages used
in Egypt were Greek, used in government and among the upper class,
and Egyptian, used by the common people. However, several Latin
texts from Egypt do exist, due mainly to the presence of the Roman
army in Egypt. Inventory number 4301, while not a military document,
comes from this context of the Roman army.
P.Mich.inv 4301 consists of a single fragment, preserving the upper
and right-hand margins of the text. A considerable amount of text
to the left and below has been lost. There is writing on the recto
only; the verso is blank.
The most striking feature of this papyrus, for students without
a background in Latin palaeography, is the cursive hand in which
the text is written. While this hand is typical of cursive Latin
hands of the period, it will likely be difficult for many to read.
Nevertheless, the fundamental similarities between the cursive lettershapes
in this document and the well known shapes of the Roman alphabet
are demonstrated in the alphabet below, which gives an idea of the
general forms used in this text:
This text is a private contract outlining the terms of a loan taken
by a Roman soldier. In this contract, the soldier acknowledges receipt
of the money and agrees to repay the sum with interest. Although
much of the text is lost, we will see that the remainder of the
document can be reconstructed based on parallels with other similar
documents. The reconstruction we follow in this text is given by
Bruckner and Marichal, Chartae Latinae Antiquiores V 294.
The Significance of the Text
Documentary texts such as this one provide a unique insight into
daily life in the ancient world, a view that one cannot get from
literary sources alone. Once the debt was repayed, this piece of
papyrus probably lost any worth or significance to its ancient authors,
but to a modern audience it can be a valuable tool for imagining
life in a civilization two thousand years past.
Next: Reading the Text