Zenon or Zeno (Greek: Ζήνων; 3rd century BC), son of Agreophon, was a public official in Ptolemaic Egypt around the 250s-230s BC. His writings are known from a cache of papyrus documents which was discovered by archaeologists in the Nile Valley in 1914.
Zeno was a native of the Greek town of Kaunos in Caria in southwestern Asia Minor. He moved to the town of Philadelphia in Egypt, a busy market town that had been founded on the edge of the Faiyum by Ptolemy II Philadelphus in honour of his sister Arsinoe II. From the 3rd century BC until the 5th century CE, Philadelphia was a thriving settlement that relied on agriculture for its economic success.[1][2] At Philadelphia, Zeno became a private secretary to Apollonius, the finance minister to Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Ptolemy III Euergetes.[3]
Drimylus and Dionysius, two Greek employees under Zeno, were reported to him for selling women as sex-slaves.[4]
During the winter of 1914–1915, Egyptian agricultural labourers were digging near the modern settlement of Kom el-Kharaba for sebakh (decayed mudbricks that were often plundered from ancient sites as they could be used as fertiliser). There, they uncovered a cache of over 2,000 papyrus documents. Upon examination by Egyptology scholars, these documents were found to be records written by Zeno in Greek and Demotic, and the site (whose precise location is now unknown) was identified as the location of the ancient town of Philadelphia.[2] Most of the papyri, now referred to as the Zenon Archive or the Zenon Papyri,[5] were edited and published by the British papyrologistsCampbell Cowan Edgar and Arthur Surridge Hunt.[6][7][8]
The Zenon Archive has since been divided among several museum collections and academic institutions around the world, and papyri are now held in the collections of the University of Michigan, Columbia University, the Società Italiana per la Ricerca dei Papiri Greci e Latini in Egitto, the British Museum in London and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.[9] A substantial part of the Zenon Papyri are now online and grammatically tagged at the Perseus Project hosted at Tufts University.[10]
References
^"Philadelpheia (Gharabet el-Gerza)". www.trismegistos.org. TM Places. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
^ ab"Where do the Zenon Papyri come from?". apps.lib.umich.edu. University of Michigan. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
^"Edgar plot". Rectory Lane Cemetery. Friends of St Peter's Berkhamsted. 2021. from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
^"Where are the Zenon Papyri now?". apps.lib.umich.edu. University of Michigan. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
^P.Cair.Zen., Zenon Papyri, Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire
Sources
Bierbrier, M.L. (2012). Who was who in Egyptology. Egypt Exploration Society. ISBN9780856982071.
Guérud, O. (1939). "Campbell Cowan Edgar (1870-1938)". Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Égypte, Service des Antiquités de l'Égypte. Cairo.
External links
Letters from the Zenon Archive in English translation
Accounting in the Zenon Papyri (1932), by Elizabeth Grier (JSTOR)
Edgar, Campbell Cowan (1940). 'Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire' N° 59801–59853: Zenon Papyri t.V (in French). Le Caire Impr. de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
January 31, 2023
zenon, kaunos, zenon, zeno, greek, Ζήνων, century, agreophon, public, official, ptolemaic, egypt, around, 250s, 230s, writings, known, from, cache, papyrus, documents, which, discovered, archaeologists, nile, valley, 1914, Ζήνωνbornkaunos, asia, minor, modern,. Zenon or Zeno Greek Zhnwn 3rd century BC son of Agreophon was a public official in Ptolemaic Egypt around the 250s 230s BC His writings are known from a cache of papyrus documents which was discovered by archaeologists in the Nile Valley in 1914 Zenon of KaunosZhnwnBornKaunos Asia Minor modern day Dalyan Mugla Turkey NationalityGreekOther namesZenoOccupation s Financial private secretary and scribeEraHellenistic periodEmployerApolloniusOrganizationPtolemaic Kingdom of EgyptNotable workCollected writings in the Zenon PapyriParentAgreophon father Contents 1 Biography 2 The Zenon Papyri 3 References 3 1 Sources 4 External linksBiography EditZeno was a native of the Greek town of Kaunos in Caria in southwestern Asia Minor He moved to the town of Philadelphia in Egypt a busy market town that had been founded on the edge of the Faiyum by Ptolemy II Philadelphus in honour of his sister Arsinoe II From the 3rd century BC until the 5th century CE Philadelphia was a thriving settlement that relied on agriculture for its economic success 1 2 At Philadelphia Zeno became a private secretary to Apollonius the finance minister to Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Ptolemy III Euergetes 3 Drimylus and Dionysius two Greek employees under Zeno were reported to him for selling women as sex slaves 4 The Zenon Papyri Edit Part of a letter discussing tax issues from the Zenon Archive written in Greek on papyrus 3rd century BC National Archaeological Museum Athens During the winter of 1914 1915 Egyptian agricultural labourers were digging near the modern settlement of Kom el Kharaba for sebakh decayed mudbricks that were often plundered from ancient sites as they could be used as fertiliser There they uncovered a cache of over 2 000 papyrus documents Upon examination by Egyptology scholars these documents were found to be records written by Zeno in Greek and Demotic and the site whose precise location is now unknown was identified as the location of the ancient town of Philadelphia 2 Most of the papyri now referred to as the Zenon Archive or the Zenon Papyri 5 were edited and published by the British papyrologists Campbell Cowan Edgar and Arthur Surridge Hunt 6 7 8 The Zenon Archive has since been divided among several museum collections and academic institutions around the world and papyri are now held in the collections of the University of Michigan Columbia University the Societa Italiana per la Ricerca dei Papiri Greci e Latini in Egitto the British Museum in London and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo 9 A substantial part of the Zenon Papyri are now online and grammatically tagged at the Perseus Project hosted at Tufts University 10 References Edit Philadelpheia Gharabet el Gerza www trismegistos org TM Places Retrieved 20 April 2021 a b Where do the Zenon Papyri come from apps lib umich edu University of Michigan Retrieved 20 April 2021 Who was Zenon apps lib umich edu University of Michigan Retrieved 20 April 2021 PSI 4 406 attalus org About the Zenon Papyri University of Michigan Bierbrier 2012 p 171 Guerud 1939 pp 3 10 Edgar plot Rectory Lane Cemetery Friends of St Peter s Berkhamsted 2021 Archived from the original on 19 April 2021 Retrieved 19 April 2021 Where are the Zenon Papyri now apps lib umich edu University of Michigan Retrieved 20 April 2021 P Cair Zen Zenon Papyri Catalogue general des antiquites egyptiennes du Musee du Caire Sources Edit Bierbrier M L 2012 Who was who in Egyptology Egypt Exploration Society ISBN 9780856982071 Guerud O 1939 Campbell Cowan Edgar 1870 1938 Annales du Service des Antiquites de l Egypte Service des Antiquites de l Egypte Cairo External links EditLetters from the Zenon Archive in English translation Accounting in the Zenon Papyri 1932 by Elizabeth Grier JSTOR Edgar Campbell Cowan 1940 Catalogue general des antiquites egyptiennes du Musee du Caire N 59801 59853 Zenon Papyri t V in French Le Caire Impr de l Institut francais d archeologie orientale Retrieved 20 April 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zenon of Kaunos amp oldid 1098199924, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
