Camels, Soldiers, and Pilgrims in Sixth Century Nessana

Abstract

In this article, Conor Whately takes a closer look at two papyri from Nessana, P. Ness. 3.35 and 37, which detail aspects of the presence of camels in the village.  These papyri have been used to argue for the presence of camel-riders among the resident soldiers.  Previous scholarship had identified two species of camel at Nessana, the dromedary and the Bactrian on the basis of the Greek words used in P. Ness. 3.35, δρομεδάριος, and κάμηλος.  Whately argues that the first term means camel-rider, dromedarius, while the second means camel.  The presence of documents like this papyrus (P. Ness. 3.35) reveals the close workings of soldiers and civilians at the frontier site, with one of the principal duties being to provide pilgrims to the Holy Land with sufficient security.