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Letter from Theodoros to his father Apollonios about requisitioned carpenters TM 31915OxyrhynchosIII - IV

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

A letter from Theodoros to his father Apollonios, reassuring him about the requisition of carpenters: the procurator Sarapion has demanded thirty carpenters by name for work on the river of Trajan, and Theodoros promises to send the list of names. He also mentions his father's illness, forwards letters, and reports handing over documents in a matter against 'the Sarmatian'; from Oxyrhynchus, 3rd-4th century AD.

In English machine translation

[recto, centre] To my lord father Apollonios, Theodoros, greeting. You wrote to me about the carpenters. Even while you were away carpenters were often summoned, and workmen, and other things, and our fellow magistrates respected your absence. Surely while you are at home no one would dare to name any of those who belong to us. So take heart, father, about this. For Sarapion the procurator wanted thirty carpenters to be sent by name to the river of Trajan, and in the evening Dioskoros arrived here, and because of the lateness of the hour I was not able to take down their names and write to you. So tomorrow I will send you the names of those summoned as well. I heard that you are suffering from your usual complaint, and for this reason I have stayed at home today. God willing, I too will come to see you for the sake of your health. I pray for your health. [recto, margin] I have also sent you the letters sent to me from the city by Eudaimon, and I have handed over the documents which you wanted given against the Sarmatian. [verso] To my lord father Apollonios, Theodoros. […] [… 3 lines lost …]

The 'river of Trajan' is the canal (Amnis Traianus) linking the Nile to the Red Sea. 'Father' may be a respectful form of address rather than literal kinship; the fellow magistrates suggest Apollonios held municipal office.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Theodorus to Apollonius). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.oxy.55.3814

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · III - IV · Oxyrhynchos

[r,ctr] κυρίῳ μου πατρὶ Ἀπολλωνίῳ Θεόδωρος χαίρειν. ἐπέστειλάς μοι ὡς περὶ τῶν τεκτόνων. καὶ ἀπόντος σου πολλάκις τέκτονες μετεπέμφθησαν καὶ ἐργάται καὶ ἕτερα πράγματα, καὶ ᾐδέσθησαν οἱ συνάρχοντες ἡμῶν τὴν ἀπουσίαν σου. μή πού γε σοῦ ἐπιδημοῦντος οὐκ ἄν τις τολμήσαι ὀνομάσαι τιν…