Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 87 (P. Oxy. 87) is a declaration on oath by a ship owner, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written between 25 February and 26 March 342. Currently it is housed in the Sackler Library (Papyrology Rooms, P. Oxy. 87 col. 3) in Oxford. [1] [2]
Traditionally an oath is either a statement of fact or a promise with wording relating to something considered sacred as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to give an affirmation instead. Nowadays, even when there is no notion of sanctity involved, certain promises said out loud in ceremonial or juridical purpose are referred to as oaths. "To swear" is a verb used to describe the taking of an oath, to making a solemn vow.
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It has the longest documented history of any living Indo-European language, spanning more than 3000 years of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the major part of its history; other systems, such as Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, were used previously. The alphabet arose from the Phoenician script and was in turn the basis of the Latin, Cyrillic, Armenian, Coptic, Gothic, and many other writing systems.
Papyrus is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge. Papyrus can also refer to a document written on sheets of such material, joined together side by side and rolled up into a scroll, an early form of a book.
The letter contains a declaration on oath, addressed to Flavius Dionysarius, a logistes. It was written by Aurelius Serapion, a ship owner. He affirms his readiness to go to "the most illustrious city of Alexandria" to testify at an official inquiry to be held there. The measurements of the fragment are 252 by 225 mm. The document has survived in a very fragmentary condition. Originally it contained a series of declarations on oath, but only one has survived. [3]
Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. Its low elevation on the Nile delta makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Alexandria is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination.
It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898. [3]
Arthur Surridge Hunt, FBA was an English papyrologist.
The Oxyrhynchus Papyri are a group of manuscripts discovered during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by papyrologists Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Surridge Hunt at an ancient rubbish dump near Oxyrhynchus in Egypt.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 86 is a complaint of a pilot of a public boat, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 28 March 338. Currently it is housed in the Cambridge University Library in Cambridge.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 88 is an order for payment of wheat, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 31 October 179. Currently it is housed in the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 53 is a report on a persea tree, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 25 February 316. It is housed in the British Museum. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 54 is a letter concerning the repair of public buildings, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written between 27 March and 25 April of the year 201. It is housed in the Haskell Oriental Institute (2060) in the University of Chicago. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 77 is a letter to Aurelius Ammonius, prytanis and gymnasiarch, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 19 May 223. Currently it is housed in the library of the Trinity College in Dublin. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 81 is a declaration on oath by a tax collector, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written between 244-245. Currently it is housed in the British Museum (757) in London. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 82 is a declaration by a strategus, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on the middle of the third century. Currently it is housed in the British Museum (758) in London. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 83 is a declaration by an egg-seller, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 17 January 328. Formerly it is housed in the Rugby School in London. The current location of the fragment is unknown. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1898.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 85 is part of a series of declarations by various guilds of workmen, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 26 November 338. Currently it is housed in the Department of Manuscripts of the British Museum (760) in London.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 90 is a receipt for the payment of wheat, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus. The document was written between 179-180. Currently it is housed in the British Museum (761) in London. It is known also as P. Lond. 3 p. XXXII no. 761.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 91 is a receipt for wages for wet nursing, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 13 October 187. Currently it is housed in the library of the Royal Holloway College in Egham.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 93 is an order for payment, written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The document was written on 16 January 362. Currently it is housed in the British Museum (762) in London.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 95 is an agreement for the sale of a slave, written in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. The document was written on 23 June 129. Currently it is housed in the library of the Royal Holloway College in Egham.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 96 is an order concerning payment of sales tax, written in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. The document was written on 5 November 180. Currently it is housed in the Cambridge University Library in Cambridge.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 98 is a letter acknowledging the repayment of a loan, written in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It is dated to between 141 and 142. Currently it is housed in the British Museum (764) in London. It is also known as P. Lond. III 764.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 100 is a declaration on oath written in Greek and discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. The document was written on 8 April 133. Currently it is housed at the Edinburgh University Library in Edinburgh.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 125 is a declaration on oath, written in Greek and discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. The document was written on 13 December 560. Currently it is housed in the Egyptian Museum (10062) in Cairo.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 251 is a fragment of a notice of removal, in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It is dated to 8 January 44. Currently it is housed in the British Library in London.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 255 is a fragment of a census return, in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It is dated to the 28 September – 27 October 48. Currently it is housed in the Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 267 is a fragment of an Agreement of Marriage, in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It is dated to 22 May 37. Currently it is housed in the Milton S. Eisenhower Library of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
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