Three Edicts of Caracalla? A New Reading of P.Giss. 40

Abstract

This article argues that P.Giss. 40 does not contain three edicts of Caracalla, as often thought, but just one edict and one instruction addressed to the prefect of Egypt. It also argues that the edict, a Greek translation of the so-called Constitutio Antoniniana (CA), is exactly dated and that it was more comprehensive than previously thought. Moreover, it appears that the Code of Justinian quotes part of the CA in Latin, and that a second papyrus with a Greek translation of the CA also exists.