Milan Papyrus
Encyclopedia
The Milan Papyrus is a papyrus
roll
inscribed in Alexandria
in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC during the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty
. Originally discovered by anonymous tomb raiders as part of a mummy
wrapping, it was purchased in the papyrus "grey market
" in Europe in 1992 by the University of Milan
. Over six hundred previously unknown lines of Greek poetry are on the roll, representing about 112 brief poems, or epigram
s. Two of these were already known and had been attributed by the 12th-century AD Byzantine scholar John Tzetzes
to the Hellenistic epigram
matist Posidippus of Pella
, a Macedonian who spent his literary career in Alexandria. The initial reaction has been to attribute all the new lines to Posidippus, though Franco Ferrari (link) suggests that there is evidence the manuscript is an anthology, in which Posidippus' epigrams predominated.
As the earliest surviving example of a Greek poetry book as well as the largest addition to the corpus of classical Greek poetry in many years, the tale of the discovery made The New York Times
and National Geographic.
Labelled the "Milan papyrus," it was published in a scholarly edition in 2001, edited by Guido Bastianini
, Claudio Gallazzi and Colin Austin. In 2002, Austin and Bastianini published a more popular edition, Posidippi Pellaei Quae Supersunt Omnia, "all the surviving works of Posidippus of Pella", including the epigrams of the papyrus, with Italian and English translations. Scholars have rushed to mine this new trove of highly-conscious literary productions at the most sophisticated level that were created in a major center of Hellenistic culture.
After a "standing-room only" discussion at the American Philological Association
annual meeting in January 2001, a seminar on the Milan Papyrus was held at Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies
in April 2002, and international conferences were held at Milan, Florence and Cincinnati, in November 2002.
Scholarly work on the Milan Papyrus, on Posidippus, who is now revealed in a broader range of subjects, and on the Alexandrian literary epigram in general, was invigorated by the discovery and proceeds apace.
Papyrus
Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
roll
Scroll
A scroll is a roll of parchment, papyrus, or paper, which has been drawn or written upon.Scroll may also refer to:*Scroll , the decoratively curved end of the pegbox of string instruments such as violins...
inscribed in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC during the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
. Originally discovered by anonymous tomb raiders as part of a mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
wrapping, it was purchased in the papyrus "grey market
Grey market
A grey market or gray market also known as parallel market is the trade of a commodity through distribution channels which, while legal, are unofficial, unauthorized, or unintended by the original manufacturer...
" in Europe in 1992 by the University of Milan
University of Milan
The University of Milan is a higher education institution in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe, with about 62,801 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,455 and a non-teaching staff of 2,200....
. Over six hundred previously unknown lines of Greek poetry are on the roll, representing about 112 brief poems, or epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
s. Two of these were already known and had been attributed by the 12th-century AD Byzantine scholar John Tzetzes
John Tzetzes
John Tzetzes was a Byzantine poet and grammarian, known to have lived at Constantinople during the 12th century.Tzetzes was Georgian on his mother's side...
to the Hellenistic epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
matist Posidippus of Pella
Posidippus
Posidippus of Pella was an Ancient Greek epigrammatic poet.-Life:Posidippus was born in the city of Pella, capital of the kingdom of Macedon. He lived for some time in Samos before moving permanently to the court of Ptolemy I Soter and later Ptolemy II Philadelphus in Alexandria, Egypt...
, a Macedonian who spent his literary career in Alexandria. The initial reaction has been to attribute all the new lines to Posidippus, though Franco Ferrari (link) suggests that there is evidence the manuscript is an anthology, in which Posidippus' epigrams predominated.
As the earliest surviving example of a Greek poetry book as well as the largest addition to the corpus of classical Greek poetry in many years, the tale of the discovery made The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and National Geographic.
Labelled the "Milan papyrus," it was published in a scholarly edition in 2001, edited by Guido Bastianini
Guido Bastianini
Guido Bastianini, born on September 10, 1945, in Florence, Italian papyrologist and palaeographer.Bastianini finished his papyrological studies in Florence 1970....
, Claudio Gallazzi and Colin Austin. In 2002, Austin and Bastianini published a more popular edition, Posidippi Pellaei Quae Supersunt Omnia, "all the surviving works of Posidippus of Pella", including the epigrams of the papyrus, with Italian and English translations. Scholars have rushed to mine this new trove of highly-conscious literary productions at the most sophisticated level that were created in a major center of Hellenistic culture.
After a "standing-room only" discussion at the American Philological Association
American Philological Association
The American Philological Association , founded in 1869, is a non-profit North American scholarly organization devoted to all aspects of Greek and Roman civilization...
annual meeting in January 2001, a seminar on the Milan Papyrus was held at Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies
Center for Hellenic Studies
The Center for Hellenic Studies is a research institute for classics located in Washington, D.C. at 3100 NW Whitehaven Street. It is affiliated with Harvard University....
in April 2002, and international conferences were held at Milan, Florence and Cincinnati, in November 2002.
Scholarly work on the Milan Papyrus, on Posidippus, who is now revealed in a broader range of subjects, and on the Alexandrian literary epigram in general, was invigorated by the discovery and proceeds apace.
External links
- New Epigrams Attributed to Posidippus of Pella at the Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University