The illustrated papyrus known as the “Antinoopolis Charioteers,” which was excavated in the winter of 1913-1914, is generally regarded as among the finest examples of late antique illustration on papyrus. It depicts a scene showing a standing group of six charioteers painted in bright colors. Above them are the ends of two lines of text. The opposite side of the papyrus preserves the first couple letters of about 12 lines written in a highly formal majuscule hand. The text has so far resisted convincing identification. This paper proposes an identification of the text that in turn sheds light on the lost portions of the illustration and the codicology of the luxurious manuscript of which this fragment was once a part.
Brent Nongbri is Professor in the History of Religions at MF Vitenskapelig Høyskole.
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