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The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Vol. 1, edited by Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1898)
Financial Documents and Petitions: Nos. 67-105. (AD 86 - 325) [1] [2]
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No. 67. Dispute concerning Property. 25.7 x 36.4 cm. AD 338 (p.124)
This papyrus contains three documents, the first of which is a letter
addressed by Aurelius Ptolcmaeus to AurcHus Aetius, an ex-official of
high standing, with reference to a dispute between the writer and two
other persons about some property, and enclosing, secondly, a letter
from Flavins Antonius Theodorus, praefect of Egypt, to Aetius, written
in answer to an application from Ptolcmaeus that Aetius should be
appointed judge to decide the dispute. There follows, thirdly, the
application in question of Ptolcmaeus to the praefect, (p.125) stating
his side of the case. The sequence of the three documents thus inverts
their historical order.
There are two copies of this papyrus, the second being somewhat less
complete than the first, but serving to fill up most of the lacunae....
translation from Greek: (p.126)
"In the consulship of the most illustrious Flavius Ursus and Flavius Polemius,
Pharmouthi 2. To Aurelius Aetius, ex-magistrate of the illustrious and
most illustrious city of Oxyrhynchus, from Aurelius Ptolemaeus, son of
Horion, of the same city. I have approached in a petiiion his
excellency my lord the praefect of Egypt, Flavius Antonius Theodorus,
wherein I accused Pataesis and Panechotcs, of the village of Lile in
the fifth district, who are making illegal encroachments on my estates.
I now hand in to you the injunctions which in reply he wrote to your
clemency and impartiality, together with the petition which I made, in
order that you may carry his orders into effect. They are as follows:"
" Flavius Antonius Theodorus to Aetius, ex-magistrate of the
Oxyrhynchite nome, greeting. If the accused persons protest against the
restoration of the estates of which they are said to be in occupation
and of which, as at least the accompanying document(p.127) testifies,
the rightful owner is the accuser, take care to enforce the precepts of
the law and to have the preliminary proceedings of the court conducted
under legal forms."
"The following is the copy of the application : —
To his excellency the praefect Flavius Antonius Theodorus from
Aurelius Ptolemaeus, son of Horion, of Oxyrhynchus. Everything, it may
be said, that is able to withstand the power of the law withstands but
for a short time and then submits to the law's correcting vengeance.
Pataesis Luluntis and Panechotes of the village of Lile in this nome
are oppressing me and occupying my own estates which descended to me by
right of inheritance from my grandmother. Knowing your goodness, I beg
you to allow Aetius, ex-magistrate, to be judge in this matter ; and
let his inquiry concern two points, firsdy, whether these estates
really belonged to the old lady, and secondly, whether she made any
written cession of them to these men. In this way their aggression
against me will be made clear. For they can produce no written proof of
sale by her, nor show that she made any other cession than is implied
in the fact that while I lived with her in the city they were in the
village and made indefensible encroachments on my estates. If I receive
this benefit I shall be eternally grateful to your highness." (Signed)
I, Aurelius Ptolemaeus, have presented this application.
"We, Aurelius Pataesis and Aurelius Panechotes, have seen the above on
this fifth day of Pharmouthi. I, Aurelius Ammonius, son of Horion,
signed for them, as they were unable to write."
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No. 68. Denial of a Money Claim. 18.2 x 9.2 cm. AD 131 (p.127)
Memorandum addressed by a person, whose name is lost, to a high ofificial,
probably the epistrategus, disputing a claim brought by Theon, son of Pausiris,
against the writer's son Sarapion for payment of certain moneys from the estate
of Sarapion's maternal grandfather, which had been bequeathed to Sarapion and his uncle Dionysius.
translation from Greek:
"Since Theon, son of Pausiris, has through the strategus of the nome
served me with a copy of a memorandum which he has wrongfully executed
in tlie record office, and by the terms of which he claimed payment for
old debts alleged to be owing to him from Sarapion(p.129) the maternal
grandfather of my son Sarapion, who is under age, and the elder
Sarapion's brother Dionysius, I make the requisite counter-statement,
as follows. I suspect that the security set up by Theon for the loan
has become void owing to lapse of time and because Sarapion lived on
for two years after the loan was concluded, and after his death his
daughter Eubulia, who became my wife and the mother of Sarapion the
minor, likewise lived on for eleven years, and since her death another
five years elapsed without Theon having dared to bring forward his
claim. Moreover Eubulia in her lifetime sold to Dionysius, the
aforesaid brother of the elder Sarapion, property which had belonged to
Sarapion for the sum of six talents of silver with the further
stipulation that Dionysius should repay Sarapion's creditors the debts
owed to them; and though Theon was Sarapion's creditor for other sums,
he has received from Dionysius payment for these claims without making
any reference to the claim which he now brings forward. I therefore beg
you to give instructions that a letter be sent to the strategus of the
Oxyrhynchite nome requesting him to serve Theon with a copy of this
memorandum, that he may know that the writ which he unjustifiably
served upon me has been invalidated, together with any additions I may
make if he presents counter-statements ; judgement against him being
entered in my favour on those points on which it ought to be so
entered, since I am ready to abide by the present memorandum, as is
right (?)."
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No. 69. Complaint of a Robbery. 17.8 x 11.5 cm. AD 190. (p.129)
Petition, the beginning of which is lost, giving an account of a theft
of barley from the house of the writer [named Nekthenibis], and asking
that an inquiry should be held and restitution made.
translation from Greek: (p.130)
". . . they broke down a door that led into the public street and had
been blocked up with bricks, probably using a log of wood as a
battering-ram. They then entered the house and contented themselves
with taking from what was stored there 10 artabae of barley, which they
carried off by the same way. We guessed that this was removed piecemeal
by the said door from the marks of a rope dragged along in that
direction, and pointed out this fact to the chief of the police of the
village and to the other officials. I am therefore obliged to put in
this petition, and beg you to order that the chief of the police and
the other officials be brought before you, and to make due inquiry
about the robbery, so that I may be able to recover the barley."
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No.
70 Petition. 18.4
x 14.8 cm. 3rd century AD. (p.130)
Petition addressed to Aurelius Herapion, epistrategus, by Ptolemaeus with
reference to a settling of accounts between himself and Agathodaemon.
translation: (p.131)
"To Aurelius Herapion, most high epistrategus, from Ptolemaeus also
called Heraclides, ex-agoranomus, councillor of Oxyrhynchus. Every
valid written contract is credited and accepted. Agathodaemon also
called Enthesmus owes me by a bond executed in his own hand in the 15th
year, Pharmouthi, and placed in the archives, three thousand drachmae
of silver, lent at the interest of four obols [1] and upon the other
conditions contained in the bond, which is valid. It happened that a
balancing of accounts took place between us in the past 20th year on
Mesore 5 when Colonianus was epistrategus, with reference to another
transaction and to the bond aforesaid ...."
notes:
1. The sum on which the four obols are the interest is no doubt the
mina, the ordinary unit in computing interest. The rate is thus 8 per
cent, a year, which is less than the ordinary rate in the Roman period,
12 per cent. Cf. B.G.U. 272. 6, 301. 8.
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No. 71 Two Petitions to the Praefect. 26 x 54.8 cm. AD 303. (p.131)
Two petitions with a fragment of a third, addressed to Clodius
Culcianus, praefect. The first is written by Aurelius Demetrius,
complaining of the (p.132) conduct of Aurelius Sotas, who refused to pay back a loan, and
appealing for the praefect's assistance in recovering the money on the
ground of the financial straits to which he was reduced. The second
petition is from a widow, Aurelia, who in the absence of her sons on
foreign service had entrusted the management of her property to two
dishonest overseers. The latter part of this document is obscure owing
to the lacunae.
On the verso of the papyrus are three columns containing a list of buildings with measurements.
Petition 1:
translation from Greek:
"To
his excellency Clodius Culcianus, praefect of Egypt, from Aurelius
Demetrius,son of Nilus, late chief priest at Arsinoe. Knowing your care
for honest citizens, my lord praefect, I make my petition to you with
full confidence that I shall obtain justice from your highness. In the
17 th = the i6th = the 9th year of this auspicious reign Aurelius
Sotas, ex-gymnasiarch of Arsinoe, acknowledged in two bonds the receipt
of a fully secured deposit from me, the first bond, which was made in
the month of Tybi, being for two talents of silver; the second, which
was made in Phamenothi for twenty talents of silver. These sums he, by
the terms of the aforesaid contracts,
undertook to repay without an action at law or any delay or quibble.
When therefore I asked him for the money while Heron was strategus, he
attempted, owing to my being illiterate, to commit a fraud to my
detriment. When he was detected in this and was in danger of being
prosecuted before your highness, he entreated to be allowed to settle
his debts without the trouble of an action. Up to the present moment he
is still putting off the payment, taking a mean advantage of my
forbearance, while I am in debt to the most sacred treasury not only on
account of the deficit in connexion with the duty which I have
performed as superintendent of the corn-supply, but also in connexion
with both my private estate and the municipal post which I undertook,
and I have no other resources than this money in question. On all these
counts therefore I beg and entreat you to instruct, if you will, the
strategus or any other magistrate whom you may sanction, that Sotas
shall be compelled by seizure of the securities provided in his written
bonds now at length to make repayment, or that, if he is recalcitrant,
he shall be summoned before your highness to answer for his previous
fraud also. So I shall be enabled to recover my property and
acknowledge my gratitude to your excellency. Farewell. I, Aurelius
Demetrius presented this petition. The 19th = i8th year, Phamenoth 4."
Petition 2:
Translation from Greek:
" To his excellency Clodius Culcianus, praefect of Egypt, from the most noble
Aurelia . . . an inhabitant of Arsinoe. You extend help to all, my lord
praefect, and you render to all their due, but especially to women on
account of their natural weakness."
"Therefore I myself make petition to your highness in the full
confidence that I shall obtain assistance from you. Having large
estates in the Arsinoite nome, and paying a considerable sum in taxes
(I refer to payments for public purposes and supplies for the
soldiers), and being a defenceless widow woman, for my sons are in the
army and absent upon foreign service, I engaged as my assistant and
business-manager first one Secundus (p.135) and subsequently Tyrannus
besides, thinking that they would preserve my good name. But they
behaved dishonestly and robbed me . . ."
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No. 72. Property Return. 40.8 x 9.6 cm. AD 90. (p.135)
Return of property (apographe) addressed to the keepers of the archives
by Zoilus, reporting on behalf of Marcus Porcius, who was away, the
purchase of a piece of land. There is a duplicate copy of the
apographe (No. 72 A), written in a different hand, but the signatures in
both documents are by the same person.
translation from Greek:
"To Epimachus and Theon, keepers of the archives, from Zoilus, son of
Apollonius, son of Ptollion, his mother being Ptolema, daughter of
Ischurion, an inhabitant of the village of Enepta in the middle
toparchy. I register for Marcus Porcius, who happens to be away, in
obedience to the orders of the lord praefect Mettius Rufus, a piece of
unwooded land which at present belongs to Marcus, in the the village of
Petne in the same toparchy in the southern part of the village, which
he bought from Tiberius Julius Basilides through Tiberius Julius
Philetas in accordance with his rights over it."
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No. 76. Letter to the Strategus. 30.6 x 7.8 cm. AD 179. (p.139)
Letter addressed to Theon, strategus, by Apia, stating that her father
Horion, who had certain rooms belonging to him in her house, was
dangerously ill, and asking the strategus what steps she should take in
view of the fact that she did not wish to inherit the property.
translation from Greek:
"To Theon, strategus, from Apia, daughter of Horion, son of Apeis,
her
mother being Tareous of Oxyrhynchus, with her guardian who is her
husband Pasion, son of Pausiris, his mother being Tseei, daughter of
Callias, of the same city. My above-mentioned father Horion, son of
Apeis, son of Horus, his mother being Taersis, registered as an
inhabitant of the village of Berenicis in the Arsinoite nome, who
happens at the present time to be at the village of Nemerae in the
Oxyrhynchite nome where I and my husband live, and owns (p.140) as a
place for residence three portions of the house that belongs to me
in the northern part of Nemerae, namely the exit belonging to it and
two upper chambers, a dining-room and a bedroom, has fallen ill
and is in a precarious condition. As I have no intention of entering on
his inheritance, I am obliged to send you notice, that you may give
instructions about the next step to be taken, in order to free me from
responsibility after his death."
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No. 77. Declaration concerning Ownership. 22.2 x 7.6 cm. AD 223. (p.140)
Declaration
on oath addressed to the prytanis Aurelius Ammonius by Julia Dionysia
in response to an inquiry concerning the ownership of a house.
translation from Greek:
"To Aurelius Ammonius, gymnasiarch, prytanis in office of Oxyrhynchus,
from Julia Dionysia, daughter of Sarapiacus, son of Sarapammon. In
answer to your inquiry about my house situated in the quarter of
Temienouthis, about which . . . whether it belonged to me or to my
husband Aurelius Sarapiacus, I swear by the fortune of IMarcus Aurelius
Severus Alexander the lord Caesar that the house in question and all
its contents belong to me, Julia Dionysia, in accordance with the
written statements which I gave you, and that I have herein spoken only
the truth."
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No. 78. Correction of the Official Taxing Lists. 23.3 x 6.8 cm. late 3rd c. AD (p.141)
This papyrus contains two documents which are written in different
hands and have no certain connexion with each other. The first is
apparently an extract from an official taxing list containing amounts
of land belonging to Apolinaria, partly her individual property, partly
held jointly by her with others. The second document is an abstract or
copy, probably made in the record-office, of a letter from Aurelius
Sarapas calling attention to the fact that a piece of land (?) which he
had recently bought and registered in the usual manner was still
reckoned in the official taxing lists as belonging to its previous
owner, a woman whose name is not given but who may have been the
Apolinaria mentioned in the first document. The copy of Sarapas' letter
stops at the point when it was about to give a detailed description of
the property in question, and does not seem to have been finished.
translation from Greek:
"From Aurelius Sarapas. Having lately bought from some one the hereinafter
described land (?), and having registered it in accordance with the
command of his (p.142) excellency Marcellus and the most high
Sallustarius [1], I find in the taxing list which has just been issued
that this land is still entered in the name of the previous holder.
Therefore, to prevent the appearance of my having taken advantage of
the tax-collector's ignorance, I send you this memorandum in order that
you may . . . tell him what steps ought to be taken to rectify the
error.' [2]
notes:
[1] The document is clearly either a rough draft or an abstract; cf.
the omission of the offices held by Marcellus and Sallustarius....
[2] Judging by the handwriting .... the papyrus can hardly be later than the beginning of Diocletian's reign [AD 284-305].
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No. 79. Notification of Death. Moral Precepts. 13 x 7 cm. A.D. 181-192.(p.142)
The
recto of this papyrus contains a declaration addressed to the village
scribe by Cephalas, stating that his son Panechotes had died.
translation from Greek:
"To Julius, village-scribe of Sesphtha, from Cephalas, son of Leontas
and Ploutarche, of the same village of Sesphtha. My son who is here
indicated, Panechotes, son of Cephalas, son of Leontas, his mother
being Herais, of the same village of Sesphtha, died childless in Athyr
of the present year. I therefore send this announcement and ask that
his name be entered in the list of the dead, as is fitting, and I swear
by the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus that
the above statements are correct."
On
the verso of the papyrus are thirteen much corrected lines in a rude
hand, which begin with moral advice to do nothing ignoble, and proceed
to refer in a mysterious manner to the death and burial of some one.
The
(p.143) document is not like a private letter; perhaps it is a school
composition (cf. No. 124), in which case Alexander in line 1 is
probably Alexander the Great.
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No. 83. Declaration by an Egg-Seller. 26.2 x 9.6 cm. AD 327. (p.145)
Declaration
on oath addressed to the logistes by Aurelius Nilus, an eggseller,by
which he binds himself to sell eggs only in the public market. There
is a duplicate copy of this papyrus, which is less complete and is
written in a different hand except the signature, which is by the
second hand of No. 73. The dating in both documents is by the consuls,
but in Ixxiii their names are lost. In the duplicate copy however the
ends of two lines containing their names are preserved, ]iou and
Maximou; and this taken in conjunction with the handwriting which is of
the early fourth century, and the fact that there was at the time one
Augustus and more than one Caesar, points to the year of the
consulship of Constantius and Maximus, AD 327, as the date of the
papyrus.
translation from Greek: (p.146)
"To Flavius Thennyras, logistes of the Oxyrhynchite norne, from
Aurelius Nilus, son of Didymus, of the illustrious and most illustrious
city of Oxyrhynchus, an egg-seller by trade. I hereby agree on the
august, divine oath by our lords the Emperor and the Caesars to offer
my eggs in the market-place publicly, for sale and for the supply of
the said city, every day without intermission, and I acknowledge that
it shall be unlawful for me in the future to sell secretly or in my
house. If I am detected so doing, (I shall be liable to the penalty for
breaking the oath)."
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No. 85. Declarations by Guilds of Workmen. 23.5 x 22 cm. A.D. 338. (p.147)
Part
of a series of declarations addressed by various guilds of workmen
to the logistes, Flavius Eusebius, stating the value (at their own
assessment)of the goods in stock at the end of the month. In all, parts
of six declarations are preserved on two pieces of papyrus which do not
join. The formula is the same throughout. We give transcripts below of
the second, which is from the coppersmiths, and fourth, which is from
the beer-sellers. Of the first declaration only a few letters at the
ends of lines are left. The third is practically complete, and is a
declaration from the bakers (artokopoi), who return their stock as sitou metro dekato artobai atal[ .... The fifth and sixth declarations, of which only the
beginnings are preserved, are from the oil-sellers (elaiopoloi) and
bee-keepers (melissourgoi).
Translation from Greek: (p.148)
Column II. "To Flavius Eusebius, logistes of the Oxyrhynchite nome,
from the guild of coppersmiths of Oxyrhynchus through me Aurelius
Thonius, son of Macer. We declare that at our own assessment the value
given below of the goods we have in stock is that for the present
month, and we swear the divine oath that our statement is correct. The
value is as follows, of malleable bronze six pounds ..
worth 1000 denarii, and of cast bronze four pounds ... In the
consulship of Flavius Ursus and Flavius Polemius the most illustrious,
Athyr 30. (Signed) I, Aurelius Thonius, make the aforesaid declaration."
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No. 86. Complaint of a Pilot. 25.3 x 10 cm. AD 338. (p.148)
Letter addressed to Flavius Eusebius (cf. the preceding papyrus) on
behalf of Aurelius Papnouthis, steersman of a public boat, by his wife
Helena, complaining that a certain Eustochius, who had been requested
by Papnouthis to provide a sailor for the boat, refused to do so. On
this Leiturgia of providing crews for state vessels, cf . G.P.U. 80-83, a series of documents, dating from the beginning of the
fifth century, concerning Aurelius Senouthes, who was burdened with the
hereditary Leiturgia of either serving as a rower in the galley of the
governor of the Thebaid, or of paying for a substitute.
translation from Greek: (p.149)
"In the consulship of Flavius Ursus and Flavins Polemius, the most
illustrious. To Flavius Eusebius, logistes of the Oxyrhynchite nome,
from Aurelius Papnouthis, son of Paiimis, ... of Oxyrhynchus, pilot of
a public rowing vessel carrying 700 artabae, through me Helena, his
wife. It is the custom that a single boatman should be (p.150) provided
from the city to serve on the said state vessel. I have several times
requested Eustochius ... of the tribe which is at present responsible
for this duty, to provide a boatman for the current year who shall help
in the service of the public corn-supply. But he puts it off day after
day and has not provided a man; and for this reason I send this
petition, requesting your grace to send for him and compel him
nevertheless to assign me a boatman ... In the consulship
above- written, Pharmouthi 2. I, Aurelia Helena, have presented this
petition. I, Aurelius Theon, signed for her, as she is illiterate."
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No. 87. Declaration by a Ship-Owner. 25.2 x 22.5 cm. AD 342. (p.150)
Declaration on oath, addressed to Flavius Dionysarius, logistes, by Aurelius
Sarapion,
a ship-owner, stating his readiness to go to Alexandria in order to
attend an official inquiry to be held there ; cf. No.59. The
declaration is one of a series of similar documents which have been
glued together. Parts of the two preceding ones are preserved, but in a
very fragmentary condition.
Translation from Greek: (p.151)
"In the consulship of our lords the Augusti, Constantius [1] for the
third time, and Constans for the second time, Phamenoth. To Flavius
Dionysarius, logistes of the Oxyrhynchite nome, from Aurelius Sarapion,
son of Eudaemon, councillor of Oxyrhynchus and owner of a sea-going
vessel, lately chosen in accordance with the commands of my lord his
excellency the governor of Augustamnica [2], Flavius Julius Ausonius,
that we ship-owners should proceed to the most illustrious city of
Alexandria. I therefore swear with full responsibility the august
divine oath by our lords the Augusti that I will proceed to Alexandria
in company with the officers sent for this purpose, and that I will
answer all inquiries made to me concerning the vessel, and that I have
herein spoken the truth. I, Aurelius Sarapion, have sworn the divine
oath, as aforesaid."
Notes:
1. Konstantos : there is no doubt about the date, for in the preceding
declaration the termination "-antos" is preserved.
2. The province of Augustamnica was created early in the fourth century and
consisted of the eastern part of the Delta; cf. Ammian. Marcell. xxii.
16. i. By a curious coincidence the earliest mention hitherto of the
name occurs in Cod. Theod. XII. Tit. I.xxxiv, a constitutio addressed
in the same year 342, a month later than the papyrus, ad Auxentium
praestd. Aiigiistamnicae, who must be identical with the "Flavius
Julius Ausonius" of line 11.
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No. 88. Order for Payment of Wheat. 13.5 x 11.2 cm. AD 179. (p.151)
Order for payment of sixty artabae of wheat to Sarapion, son of Heliodorus,
addressed to the sitologoi, or overseers of granaries, in the village
of Petne in the middle toparchy, by Lampon, son of Ammonius.
Translation from Greek: (p.152)
"Lampon, son of Ammonius, manager of the house of the gymnasiarchs of
Oxyrhynchus, to the collectors of the corn revenue of the middle
toparchy at Petne, greeting. Pay from the past 19th year's store of
wheat belonging to the gymnasiarchs and deposited with you, sixty
artabae, 60 art., to Sarapion, son of Heliodorus, late exegeles at
Oxyrhynchus. The 20th year of Aurelius Antoninus Caesar and Aurelius
Commodus Caesar our sovereigns, Athyr 3."
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No. 91. Receipt of Wages for Nursing. 20.5 x 8.7 cm. AD 187. (p.153)
Acknowledgement addressed to Tanenteris, daughter of Thonis, by
Chosion, son of Sarapion, of the receipt of 400 drachmae, paid through
the bank at the Serapeum. The sum was for services rendered by
Sarapias, the slave of Chosion, as nurse to the infant daughter of
Tanenteris during two years. Cf. B.G.U. 297 and G.P.U. 75.
translation from Greek: (p.154)
"Chosion, son of Sarapion, son of Harpocration, his mother being
Sarapias, of Oxyrhynchus, to Tanenteris, daughter of Thonis, son of
Thonis, her mother being Zoilous, of the same city, with her guardian
Demetrius, son of Horion and Arsinoe, of the same city, greeting. I
acknowledge the receipt from you through Hehodorus and his associate
overseers of the bank at the Serapeum near the city of Oxyrhynchus, for
which Epimachus made the promise of payment, of four hundred drachmae
in imperial coin for wages, oil, clothes and all other expenses during
the two years in which my slave Sarapias nursed your daughter Helena,
known as her father's child [1]; who when you took her back had been
weaned and had received every attention ; and I acknowledge that I
neither have nor shall have any complaint or charge to make against you
either in connexion with this transaction or any other matter whatever
up to the present time. This receipt is valid."
notes:
1. The meaning .. seems to be that the writer of the contract did not know who the father was.
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No. 95. Sale of a Slave. 18.2 x 12.5 cm. AD 129. (p.156)
Agreement between Agathodaemon and Gaius Julius Germanus, affirming the
validity of a contract for the purchase by the latter of a female slave.
translation from Greek: (p.158)
"The 13th year of the Emperor Caesar Trajanus Hadrianus Augustus, Payni 29, at
Oxyrhynchus in the Thebaid. Agathodaemon also called Dionysius, son of
Dionysius, son of Dionysius, his mother being Hermione, of Oxyrhynchus,
agrees with Gains Julius Germanus, son of Gains Julius Domitianus, (the
agreement being executed in the street) that he hereby assents to the
autograph contract, made on Tybi 25 of the present 13th year, for the
sale to Julius Germanus of a slave named Dioscorous, about 25 years
old, with no distinguishing marks, which slave was his by purchase,
having previously belonged to Heraclides also called Theon, son of
Blachon, son of Sosicosmius also called Althaeeus. This slave Julius
Germanus then took from him just as she was, free from blemish except
epilepsy and marks of punishment (?), at the price of 1200 drachmae of
silver, which sum
Agathodaemon also called Dionysius thereupon received from Julius
Germanus in full together with the autograph contract. In consequence
of this contract Julius Germanus paid the tax upon the sale of the said
slave Dioscorous on Phamenoth 3 of the same year, in accordance with
the receipt issued to him. Agathodaemon also called Dionysius is the
guarantor of the said slave Dioscorous in all respects, as the
autograph contract states. If the terms of it should be broken or it in
any other way be rendered invalid, Julius Germanus has the right to
demand ...."
____________________________________________________________
No. 96. Payment of Tax on Sales. 25.5 x 8 cm. AD 180. (p.158)
Order addressed to the public bank of Oxyrhynchus by Diogenes, an
official concerned with the tax upon sales, authorizing the bank to
receive 52 drachmae, the tax (probably 10 per cent, of the price, cf.
introd. to No. 99) payable by Chaeremonis on the purchase of a slave.
translation from Greek: (p.159)
"Diogenes, contractor for the tax on sales for the 21st year, to Herodes and his
partners, public bankers, greeting. Receive from Chaeremonis, daughter
of Apollonius, son of Heracleides, her mother being Ammonarion, of
Oxyrhynchus, the tax on a slave named Plution, whom she bought from
Asclepiades, also called Apion, son of Apion, son of Asclepiades, his
mother being Ascletarion, daughter of Theon, also of Oxyrhynchus,
through the office of the agoranomi at Oxyrhynchus, in the present
month Athyr, namely 52 drachmae."
____________________________________________________________
No. 98 Repayment of a Loan 11.5 x 10 cm. AD 141-2 (p.160)
Acknowledgement by Chaeremon that he had received from Archias, a
freedman, 168 drachmae, being the balance due on account of a loan of
700 drachmae made by Chaeremon four years previously. The papyrus was
written in the fifth year of Antoninus Pius; see No. 22.
translation from Greek: (p.161)
"Chaeremon, son of Theon, son of Theon, his mother being Totoeus,
of
Oxyrhynchus, to Archias, freedman of Amoitas, son of Zoilus, also of
Oxyrhynchus, greeting. I acknowledge the receipt from you, through the
bank of Heraclides and his partners at the Serapeum near the city of
Oxyrhynchus, of a hundred and sixty-eight drachmae of silver, being the
balance owing to me from you of the seven hundred drachmae of silver
which I lent you by the terms of a contract executed through the bank
in the month of Athyr in the twenty second
year of the deified Hadrian which is the first year of our sovereign Antoninus
Caesar, the payment of the sum covering 50 months dating from the month
Hadrianus of that same year at the rate of 15 drachmae each month [1].
The present payment follows upon the instalment of the seven hundred
drachmae, namely five hundred and thirty-two drachmae, which I
previously received from you as I acknowledged in the written receipt
which I gave you through the said bank in the month of Athyr of the
past fourth year ...."
notes:
1. Fifty payments of 15 drachmae make 750 drachmae; it is not clear what is
the relation of this number to the 700 drachmae mentioned in 15, nor why the singular Katabole is used instead of the plural.
____________________________________________________________
No. 99. Sale of House Property. 23 x 44 cm. AD 55. (p.161)
Sale of half a house by Pnepheros, son of Papontos, to Tryphon, son of
Dionysius (cf. Nos. 38, 39), in the second year of Nero, for 32
talents of copper. At the end is a docket showing that the tax on the
sale had been paid to the bank of Sarapion, and resembling the dockets
of the royal bank found on Ptolemaic contracts. The amount of the tax
(to egkuklion, cf. Nos. 95 and 96) was 3 talents 1200 drachmae, i.e. a
tenth of the price, the same proportion as that under the later
Ptolemies, in addition to a further charge, the nature of which is
obscure.
translation from Greek: (p.163)
"Copy. The second year of Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Imperator,
on the 6th of the month Audnaeus=Sebastus, at Oxyrhynchus in the
Thebaid, before the agoranomi Andromachus and Diogenes. Tryphon, son of
Dionysius, about . . years old, of middle height, fair, with a long
face and a slight squint, and having a scar on his right wrist, has
bought from his mother Thamounis' cousin, Pnepheros, son of Papontos,
also an inhabitant of Oxyrhynchus, about 65 years old, of middle
height, fair, having a long face and a scar above his ... eyebrow and
another on his right knee, (the document being drawn up in the street)
one half of a three-storied house inherited from his mother, together
with all its entrances and exits and appurtenances, situated by the
Serapeum at Oxyrhynchus in the southern part of the street called Temgenouthis to the west of
the lane leading to "Shepherds' Street," its boundaries being, on the
south and east, public roads, on the north,the house of the aforesaid
Thamounis, mother of Tryphon the buyer, on the west, the house of
Tausiris, sister of Pnepheros the seller, separated by a blind alley,
for the sum of 32 talents of copper; and Pnepheros undertakes to
guarantee the half share which is sold perpetually in every respect
with every guarantee."
____________________________________________________________
No.
101. Lease of Land.
25.4 x 8.4 cm. AD 142. (p.164)
Lease of 38 arourae of land for six years by Dionysia, daughter of Chaeremon,
to Psenamounis, son of Thonis, at the total rent of 190 artabae of wheat and 12 drachmae a year.
Translation from Greek: (p.166)
"Dionysia, daughter of Chaeremon, with her guardian who is her son Apion also
called
Dionysius, son of Diogenes, both of Oxyrhynchus, has leased to
Psenamounis, son of Thonis and Seoeris, from Paberke in the eastern
toparchy, a Persian of the Epigone [1], for six years dating from the
present sixth year of our sovereign Antoninus Caesar, 38 arourae
belonging to her and previously cultivated by Psenamounis under another
lease, on these conditions. For the first five years fixed by the
agreement the lessee may sow and gather whatever crops he chooses with
the exception of woad and coriander (?); in the last year he shall sow
and gather the same crops as those appointed for him in the last year
of the previous lease. The rent of the whole leasehold during the six
years is fixed at 190 artabae of wheat a year and a money-payment of 1
2 drachmae a year, which shall all be free of every risk, the land-tax
being paid by the lessor, who shall also be the owner of the crops
until the rent is paid. If in any of the years there should be a
failure of water, an allowance shall be made to the lessee. He shall
also, when the lease is guaranteed to him, measure into the public
granary from the amount fixed as the rent for the year the yearly corn
tax on the buildings, at his own expense, and he shall pay this
deposit to the lessor free of all adulteration every year at the time
of the first measuring, an equivalent allowance being made to
him. The remainder of the yearly rent together with the money-payment
he shall always pay to the lessor in the month of Payni at the granary
of Paberke, new, clean, unadulterated, sifted wheat, with no barley in
it, similar to that which is delivered at the public granary, measured
by the bronze-rimmed measure containing four choenices used for
payments to the lessor or her agents. Any arrears owed by the lessee
shall be paid with the addition of half their amount.[2] The lessor
shall have the right of execution upon both the person and all tlie
property of the lessee, and the lessor shall not be permitted to let
the property to any one else or to cultivate it herself within the six
years. This lease is valid. The sixth year of the Emperor Caesar Titus
Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Phaophi 5."
"I, Psenamounis, son of Thonis,have taken the land on lease for the six
years at a yearly rental of 190 artabae of wheat and a money-payment of
12 drachmae, and I will make all the payments aforesaid. I, Theon, son
of Theon and Ophelia, signed for him, as he is illiterate, on the same
date."
Notes:
1. A descendant of a Persian settler who had married an Egyptian wife.
2. The sense of this passage is that the lessee was to pay the taxes on the land
on behalf of the landlord who was to make an equivalent deduction from the rent.
____________________________________________________________
No. 105. Will of Pekusis. 26.8 x 31cm. AD 117-137. (p.171)
Will of Pekusis, son of Hermes, with the signatures of the testator and
six witnesses. As is usually the case with wills, the writing is on the
vertical fibres of the papyrus and the lines are consequently of great length.(p.172)
Translation from Greek:
"The ... year of the Emperor Trajanus Hadrianus Augustus, Tybi 13, at
Oxyrhynchus in the Thebaid for good luck. This is the will, made
in the street, of Pekusis, son of Hermes and Didyme, daughter of
Philotas, an inhabitant of Oxyrhynchus, being sane and in his right
mind. So long as I survive, I am to have power over my property, to ...
. and to alter my will. But if I die with this will unchanged, I leave my daughter Ammonous whose mother is
Ptolema, if she survive me, but if not, then her children, heir to my
shares in the common house, court and rooms situated in the Cretan
quarter. All the furniture, movables and household stock and other
property whatsoever that I shall leave, I bequeath to the mother of my
children and my wife, Ptolema, the freedwoman of Demetrius, son of
Hermippus, with the condition that she shall have for her lifetime the
right of using, dwelling in, and building in the said house, court and
rooms. If Ammonous should die without children and intestate, the share
of the fixtures shall belong to her half-brother on the mother's side,
Antas, if he survive, but if not, to ... . No one shall violate the terms of this my
will under pain of paying to my daughter and heir Ammonous a fine of
1000 drachmae and (to the treasury an equal sum ?)"
There follow the
signatures of the testator and witnesses.
_______________________________________________________________
No. 63. Lading and Inspection of Corn. Gizeh Museum, 10,007. 20.5 x 12.1 cm. 2nd or 3rd c. AD (p.121)
Letter to Archelaus, a minor official, from a superior, giving him
directions concerning the lading of a cargo of wheat, and its official
inspection. In this case too, perhaps, as in the preceding papyrus, the
corn was destined for Italy.
translation from Greek: (p.122)
"Paesius to his dearest Archelaus, greeting. The bearer of this letter
is the captain Panemouos; please to see that his freight is embarked
with all despatch, and let it consist as usual of what you have in hand
and selected for lading. Send up the inspectors yourself to the
examination, getting a donkey from the chiefs of the police. After this
give him your best attention and let him see the granaries, and prepare
the overseers and the other officials concerned, whose names have been
given you by Harpocration, in order that there may be no delay. My best
wishes for your health, dearest friend."
_______________________________________________________________
No. 64. Order for Arrest. 5.3 x 15.8 cm. 3rd or early 4th c. AD (p.122)
Order addressed by a decurion to the chiefs of the village of Teis,
requesting them to send up for trial a certain Ammonius. Cf. No. 65.
translation from Greek: (p.123)
"From the decurion to the comarchs and guardian of the peace of the village of
Teis. Please to deliver at once to the soldier whom I have sent
Ammonius surnamed Alacer who is accused by Ptollas, or else come
yourselves. Signed."
_______________________________________________________________
No. 65. Order for Arrest. 10 x 25.1 cm. 3rd or early 4th c. AD (p.123)
A similar order to the preceding, addressed to the comarchs of another village, Teruthis, by a beneficiarius (cf. No. 32).
translation from Greek:
"From the beneficiarius on duty to the comarchs of the village of
Teruthis. Deliver up to my officer whom I have sent Pachoumis, son of
Pachoumis, whom you have arrested to-day and brought to your village,
being a citizen. If you have anything to say in his favour, come with
him and tell me. See that you do not detain the officer. Signed."
Footnotes:
1. [Editor's Note:] The original textual commentaries and notes provided by Grenfell and Hunt on
passages in Greek, and on some bibliographic references, have sometimes been abbreviated or omitted, if not essential to
understanding the content of the papyri documents. Any such omissions
are marked with "....", and any added words needed for clarity are
placed between brackets [ ]. These elisions are separate from those
used by Grenfell and Hunt in the translated text, which have not been
altered.
2. [Editor's Note:] References to all other papyri from the Oxyrhynchus
collections are given with their sequential number as "No. xx".
Abbreviations to other papyri collections and standard historical
references used by Grenfell and Hunt include the following:
Archiv.= Archiv fur Papyrusforschung.
B.G.U. = Aeg. Urkunden aus den K. Museum zu Berlin, Griechische Urkunden.
C.I.G. = Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum
C.I.L. = Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
Cod. Just.= Codex Justianus
Cod. Theod.= Codex Theodosianus
C.P.R. = Corpus Papyrorum Raineri, by C. Wessely.
Marcellinus =The late Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus.
P. Amh. = The Amherst Papyri (Greek), Vols. I-II, by B.P.Grenfell and A.S.Hunt.
P. Brit.Mus. = Greek papyri in the British Museum, vol.I-II by F.G. Kenyon.
P. Cairo = Catalog of the Greek Papyri in the Cairo Museum,by Grenfell & Hunt.
P.
Grenf. = Greek Papyri, Ser. 1 by B.P. Grenfell, and Ser. II by Grenfell and Hunt
P. Hibeh = The Hibeh Papyri by B.P Grenfell and A.S. Hunt
P. Leipzig = Griechische Urkunden der Papyrussammlung zu Leipzig by I Mitteis.
P. Leyden = Papyri Graeci Musei Antiquarii Lugduni-Batavi, by C. Leemans.
P. Tebt. = The Tebtunis Papyri, by B.P. Grenfell, A.S. Hunt, et al.
Perseus = the satirical ancient Roman playwright Perseus.
Wilcken, Ost. = Griechische Ostraka, by U. Wilcken.
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