Page 1

Archive of Hermias and Maximus

Place Hermopolites
Date AD 337-357 about
Language Greek
Material Papyrus
Number of texts 12
Type Receipts
Collections Wien, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Find/Acquisition [find/acquisition]

Bibliography P.J. SIJPESTEIJN – K.A. WORP , Ein neues Archiv: Hermias und Maximos, Söhne des
Sarapion, ZPE 32 (1978), pp.243-257.
P.J. SIJPESTEIJN – K.A. WORP, Das Archiv von Hermias: ein Addendum, ZPE 37 (1980),
p.268.

Description The archive of Hermias and Maximus (alias Sarapammon), sons of Sarapion (cf. fig. 1),
consists of 6 papyri with receipts, written on both sides of small papyrus sheets (XIV 12210-
12219; XVI 12635-12636)1. They were purchased by the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
in 1886-1887.
All receipts are issued to Hermias, Maximus or Hermias' heirs for the delivery of various
products (cf. fig. 2) as taxes through the city administration of Hermopolis. In a first stage,
Hermias and Maximus often pay together. Maximus continues to pay after the death of his
brother Hermias, sometimes together with Hermias' heirs. Maximus is probably guardian of
his brother's (minor) children (cf. XIV 12214). If so, this is a "one-generation archive
consisting of incoming documents".
The use of numbered indictions points to a date after AD 312. The dating in the first half of
the 4th century is confirmed by prosopographical identifications; thus Olympiodoros, son of
Hyperechios is attested in CPR VI 12.71 (AD 300), P.Strasb. VII 618.50 (AD 319) and
P.Flor. I 64.21 (date unknown). Since Hermias is clearly still alive in the 10th indiction (XIV
12210), whereas in an 8th indiction, his heirs are paying, the texts run over two indiction
periods. The editors attribute the receipts to the indiction periods AD 312-327 and 327-342
and date XIV 12210 in AD 322. However, three texts from the archive bear a christogram
(XIV 12210, 12212 and 12215), which is unexpected in official documents before the arrival
of Constantine (AD 322). Therefore it is more likely that the texts refer to the periods AD
327-342 and AD 342-357. XIV 12210 then corresponds to the 10th year of the second
indiction period, i.e. AD 337/8. For the prosopographical identification cited above, this
causes some problem, because this implies that Olympiodoros was active from AD 300 to
AD 351.
XIV 12216 has been issued in the name of Hermias' heirs for indictions 6-9 refering to the
period AD 347-351, since in AD 337, Hermias is still alive (cf. supra). l. 6-7 indicate that
Hermias himself still paid for the 7th indiction (AD 349/50). The unusual payment for a
period of 4 years, may point to Hermias' recent death. In the 8th indiction (AD 350/1),
Hermias has passed away (cf. XIV 12214). This leads to the conclusion that Hermias died
around AD 350 (cf. fig. 2).
The brothers' properties were scattered over the Hermopolite nome: the metropolis
Hermupolis, Onnophtis, Thrage (in the neighbourhood of Hermopolis), Ibion Chysis (at the
border of Hermopolite and Oxyrhynchite nomes), Issou (near the toparchy Leukopurgitês
1
The 2numbers
ano) in bold
. Hermias is refer to thementioned
perhaps volume and publication
in CPR VII number
20 in(early
SB. 4th century), a copy or draft of

three letters of the council of Hermupolis, by which Hermi(as) son of Sarapi(on) is exempted
from a liturgy on account of his age and his impecuniousness.
                                --
 Page 2

Hermupolis, Onnophtis, Thrage (in the neighbourhood of Hermopolis), Ibion Chysis (at the
border of Hermopolite and Oxyrhynchite nomes), Issou (near the toparchy Leukopurgitês
ano)2. Hermias is perhaps mentioned in CPR VII 20 (early 4th century), a copy or draft of
three letters of the council of Hermupolis, by which Hermi(as) son of Sarapi(on) is exempted
from a liturgy on account of his age and his impecuniousness.
It is possible that the 5 sheets were all part of a single documentary codex, in which (copies
of?) tax receipts were collected as in P.Panop. (part of the Archive of Alopex' descendants)
and in the Taurinus archive codex. It is indeed very unusual to write receipts on both sides of
papyrus sheets. Furthermore, the verso of sheet one (XIV 12211) contains a second small
column of which only one letter per line is preserved and which is written upside down to the
other column. Though most of the sheets are mutilated, some at least seem to have been cut in
the same size (according to the editors, it looks as if XIV 12210/1 and 12218/9 lay on each
other3; maybe XIV 12214/5 and 12216/7 have the same size). If so, the text should be
excluded from the archives in the present publication.

Appendices Fig. 1: Stemma of the family

Sarapion

Hermias Maximus alias Sarapammon

anonymous heirs

Fig. 2: Outline of receipts

Papyrus Text Date Indictio Object Issued in name of

Ro XIV 12210 15.1. 337 10 ? Hermias + Maximus Hermias alive

Vo XIV 12211 337 - 357 ? transport by ?

boat

Vo4 XIV 12213 6.2.338 or 11 wine Maximus Hermias alive5

357 ?
or Hermias ?

Ro XIV 12212 337 - 357 ? gold and silver heirs of Hermias Hermias alive ?
through Maximus

2
M. DREW-BEAR, Le nome Hermopolite. Toponymes et sites (American o r Studies
Herm ini Papyrology
as + 21), Ann Arbor,
1979, passim. Maximus
3Ro XIV 12214 8.1.350 8 immediately
pork after XIV 12210/1
heirs inofthe Hermias
In that case, XIV 12218/9 should follow outline (cf. Hermias dead date
fig. 1); since
and names in XIV 12218/9 are not preserved, it is more likely this text belongs at the
through Maximus bottom of the outline.

Vo XIV
12215 
14/5.12.
      ?      aurum
           1.
 Maximus
   --
coronarium
350 - 357 2. Maximus, also in
 Page 3

Vo XIV 12215 14/5.12. ? aurum 1. Maximus

coronarium
350 - 357 2. Maximus, also in
name of Hermias

Ro XIV 12216 347 - 351 6-9 grain heirs of Hermias Hermias dead

Vo XIV 12217 351-357 ? wheat Maximus + heirs of Hermias dead

Hermias

Ro XVI 12635 353 11 wine heirs of Hermias Hermias dead

through Maximus

Vo XVI 12636 353 - 357 ? transport by heirs of Hermias

ship through Maximus

Ro XIV 12218 327 - 357 ? grain ?

Vo XIV 12219 327 - 357 ? ? ?

4
Which side of the papyrus is on top, is pure convention if we assume that the sheets originate from a codex.
5
It is not clear whether the 11th year corresponds to the period AD 327-342 or AD 342-357. We do not know
therefore if Hermias is still alive at this moment nor in whose name the receipt has been issued.

                                --