Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 279 (P. Oxy. 279 or P. Oxy. II 279) is a fragment of a Lease of Domain Land, in Greek. It was discovered in Oxyrhynchus. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It is dated between years 44-45. Currently it is housed in the Cambridge University Library (Add. Ms. 4055) in Cambridge.[1]
The document was written by Theogenes.[1] Application addressed to a βασιλικος γραμματευς by Theogenes, who was 'desirous of securing a gain to the treasury,' for the right of cultivating 40 arourae of domain land (βασιλικη γη) near Nesla at a higher rent than that paid by the present cultivators. The details of the rent are obscure owing to the lacunae.[2]
The measurements of the fragment are 344 by 119 mm. The document is mutilated.[2]
It was discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in 1897 in Oxyrhynchus. The text was published by Grenfell and Hunt in 1899.[2]
