Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 03-02-2011, 10:27 AM

The City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish: Greek Lives in Roman Egypt (or via: amazon.co.uk)

reviewed in BAR here

Quote:

The remarkable story of Grenfell and Hunt and the Oxyrhynchus Papyri is told by Peter Parsons in a delightful new book, The City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish.2 Parsons, employed since 1960 with cataloging, deciphering and publishing the Oxyrhynchus Papyri under the auspices of the British Academy and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, is just the person to narrate this saga. His assembled chapters explore the workings of the city of Oxyrhynchus, the presence of the empire and the imperial cult, the Nile and its rhythmic effects, economic matters, personal life, the literary predilections of its citizenry, ancient bureaucracy, the use of medicine and magic to cope with accident, disease and distress, and the city’s late-antique Christian legacy. Parsons introduces us to all of it with great erudition and expert commentary and a welcome sense of humor.

avi · 03-02-2011, 03:04 PM

Thank you, Toto. The review at BAR is excellent, in my opinion.

avi

mountainman · 03-02-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

In a day when it can sometimes prove difficult to tell the authentic from the hoax, the important from the trivial, the Oxyrhynchus Papyri are the real deal.

A great archaeological find it is indeed. One might expect some correspondence between the Oxford Oxyrhynchus Papyri Project and the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. The advance of technology in this area may very soon see the emergence of new non destructive dating tests.

The BC&H related question is whether the chronological datings derived by palaeographic attestations for the "early Christian papyri" in the 2nd and 3rd centuries are the real deal. Non destructive C14 would indeed be a deciding test, and I would encourage it to be conducted. I might even have to get converted and become a "believer of Eusebius's Early Christian History".

Roger Pearse · 03-03-2011, 04:02 PM

A marvellous article -- thank you Toto.

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03-02-2011, 03:04 PM	#2
avi Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Location: eastern North America Posts: 1,468	Thank you, Toto. The review at BAR is excellent, in my opinion. avi

03-03-2011, 04:02 PM	#4
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	A marvellous article -- thank you Toto.

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