OA (Egyptian Aramaic, standard literary Aramaic) was the language of administration and correspondence (lingua franca) of the Achaemenid Empire from the time of Cyrus [2] II (6th-3rd cent. BC). OA does not represent a homogeneous Aramaic dialect but shows dialect characteristics that are in parts highly divergent. OA was widespread throughout the whole of the Near East and Egypt and was used for a variety of textual genres. In a cursive writing (square script), OA is encountered on papyri and ostraka that were mostly found in Egypt (Syene, Elephant…
Official Aramaic(393 words)
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Müller-Kessler, Christa (Emskirchen), “Official Aramaic”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 09 February 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e1020110>
First published online: 2006
First print edition: 9789004122598, 20110510
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