Volume / Number: 6 / 832

• Strasbourg France Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire Lat. 1

Written in Egypt where it was found. The official title ἡγεμών for 'praeses' in the address suggests that the letter must have been written before 362. The papyrus was purchased by R. Reitzenstein.

The script is of great interest because it illustrates the transition from the earlier Roman cursive based mostly on majuscule elements to the later cursives, which are the foundation of nearly all minuscule scripts including our own: a, mostly in ligature, has forms varying between uncial (Achillio with uncial A) and open u; b has an ancient form resembling d which persists into the sixth century: it differs from d only in that it joins the following letter; c is tall; d has a form between uncial and half-uncial; uncial E rises above the line and is most often in ligature; g is s-like; N has the majuscule form, but n also occurs; ꞇ, like e, is mostly in ligature with preceding and following letter; u is cup-shaped. At the end the sender of the letter, Vitalis, added five lines in sloping cursive. A third hand added ἡγεμ(όνι) φοινεικησ on the outside of the letter.

☛CLA date (IV ante 362?) changed to follow evidence offered by other documents related to Theophanes' journey in J. Matthews, The Journey of Theophanes (Yale 2006). ☛ChLA 19.687. ☛Cavenaile CPL 262. ☛Steffens, Paléographie latine Pl. 13. ☛DCLP.

• CLA information changed