Roman papyri with list of Roman centurions found in Roman Egypt

[guy]

 

Berenike, Egypt has been the site of many Roman finds (see posts below). Papyri, with lists of Roman centurions stationed in Egypt, are among the most recent finds.

The city of Berenike (Berenice Troglodytica) was an Ancient Egyptian seaport on the western shore of the Red Sea, Egypt (see map below).

Site of Berenike, Egypt on the Red Sea

 

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Berenike, located on the Red Sea, is an ancient port built by Emperor Tiberius shortly after the Roman Empire annexed Egypt. Archaeologists have suspected for years that a military unit was also stationed at Berenike. – It is very likely that these were soldiers of the Third Legion of Cyrenaica, who were famous, for example, for stopping the expansion of Meroe in Nubia and pacifying the uprising in Jerusalem in 70.

 

https://arkeonews.net/polish-archaeologists-discover-papyruses-containing-a-list-of-roman-centurions-at-berenike/

 

 

 

 

Interesting video on making papyri:

 

Edited June 5 by guy

[guy]

Here is another article on the find. I had forgotten that this was the site of an ancient “pet cemetery” (see post below).

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/letters-written-by-ancient-roman-commanders-have-been-found-in-a-pet-cemetery-in-egypt-180984423/
 

 

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The correspondence preserved on papyri are lists of centurions, i.e. co-officers and commanders of Roman legions. The names that appear in the letters are: Haosus, Lucinius and Petronius.

“In this correspondence, Petronius asks Lucinius, stationed in Berenice, about the prices of individual exclusive goods. There is also the statement: I am giving you the money, I am sending it by dromedarius (a unit of legionnaires moving on dromedaries). Take care of them, provide them with veal and poles for their tents," the archaeologist describes.

 

Below is the release from the Polish scientists doing the research:
 

https://naukawpolsce.pl/aktualnosci/news%2C102801%2Cegiptlisty-centurionow-znalezli-polscy-archeolodzy-w-berenike.html

 

 

Edited May 29 by guy