Overseeing a Voyage: Leadership and Logistical Expertise in P. Cair. Zen. 4.59753

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Faculty of Archaeology, Ain Shams University, Egypt

Abstract

Numerous documents have mentioned waterborne activities and ship movements on the Nile to provide detailed transaction records and operational details. P. Cair. Zen. 4. 59753, a 3rd-century B.C. Greek papyrus from the Zenon Archive in Ptolemaic Egypt is one example.  It provides a detailed account of the expenses of a boat that traded between Memphis, Aphroditopolis, Herakleopolis, Bousiris, and Ptolemais. Despite its being fragmented and lacking the sender’s name and title, its contextual evidence suggests that the sender may be the ship’s captain. This article analyzes the recorded tasks to clarify the managerial and logistical responsibilities involved in operating a river voyage, situating the document within a wider collection of comparable records from the archive. The document reflects a structured system of financial accountability marked by precise terminology and balanced accounts. It also reveals detailed knowledge of geography, supply chains, and monetary transactions while indicating a shared financial model where captains assumed some risk and shared in profits.  In addition to related archival evidence, this papyrus gives valuable insight into professional ethos and coordinated practices essential to the success of a river-based economy.

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References

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https://www.trismegistos.org/arch
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