PREFACE

Much the largest contribution to this volume has been made by Dr. Coles. He himself edited the great bulk of the Roman and Byzantine documents, and collaborated on the rest (4063–7, introduction): in addition, he has supervised and contributed to the publication of the large group of Aeschines papyri.

The theological texts (4009–11) comprise a fragment probably of the apocryphal Gospel of Peter, published in collaboration with Professor Dieter Lührmann of Marburg University; and two liturgical texts from the everyday life of the Christian community, edited by Dr. Kurt Treu, whose early death was a sad blow to us and to many other colleagues. Section II includes newly identified pieces of Euripides’ Phoenissae and Orestes, edited by Professor Haslam; and another handbook of Euripidean hypotheses, covering the Bacchae and other plays, edited by Dr. H. M. Cockle. Section III consists of Menander: mostly fragments which provide small supplements or variant readings to known portions of his text, but one novelty with (probably) the opening scene of Leucadia (4024). Section IV contains all the papyri of Aeschines so far identified in the collection; the editing is mainly the work of members of the Istituto Vitelli of the University of Florence. Among the documents we single out those from the Arabian nome administrative district (a rare provenance); and, of unique interest, the long and difficult accounts relating to the two Oxyrhynchite mansiones official stopping-places or way-stations on the Roman route running north and south along the edge of the Western desert (4087–8).

For the indexes we are indebted to the skill and perseverance of Juliane Kerkhecker. The Charlesworth Group have again set the text with wonderful precision.

February, 1994

P. J. PARSONS
J. R. REA
General Editors