The Oxyrhynchus papyrus fragments contain an astonishing variety of texts. They include lost plays by Menander, lines of Sappho’s poetry, fragments of Homer’s epics, and early Christian gospels that shed light on ancient beliefs. Legal documents, tax records, and personal letters offer a glimpse into daily life in Greek and Roman Egypt. Some fragments preserve philosophical works and rare medical treatises, while others hold school exercises, shopping lists, and contracts—proof that the ancient