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The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Vol. 10, edited by Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1914)
Official correspondence: Nos. 1252-1257 (AD 260 - Fourth century) [1] [2]
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No. 1252. Official Correspondence and Declaration. 27.11 x 29.2 cm. AD 288-95. (p.162)
Both the recto and the verso of this papyrus are occupied with copies
of official documents. On the recto are three columns, of which the
first contains a short letter, probably from the praefect Fl. Valerius
Pompeianus, to the strategus of the Oxyrhynchite nome, reiterating some
order, but a considerable lacuna at the beginnings of the lines leaves
the precise purport obscure.
This is followed by a formal declaration made by three municipal
functionaries to the strategus that they had experienced no extortion
from Phileas, a former official of Alexandria. .The declaration was
made in consequence of an order of the praefect Valerius Pompeianus,
and supplies the latest date at present known for his praefecture,
which is now brought down to September 15, A.D. 289.
Of the third column, written in a larger hand, only the beginnings ,of
some lines from the lower portion remain, and a mention of the eleventh
year of Diocletian (A.D. 294-5) is the only noticeable point.
The verso, in a hand perhaps identical with that of Col. iii of the
recto, is of more importance. In Col.1 the remains of some short
letters (one dated A.D. 289) addressed apparently to the senate of
Oxyrhynchus by some high official, per-haps the praefect, are too
slight to be of value.
The second column, however, is nearly complete, and provides some
interesting information concerning the office of eutheniarch at this
period. It contains a copy of a petition from the prytanis to an
unnamed praefect recounting the difficulties that had occurred in
filling up the post. Of the three eutheniarchs annually required (1.
13), the order of gymnasiarchs, on whom the nomination appears to have
devolved, had designated only two, who had been hardly persuaded to
undertake the burden involved. Efforts to provide for the duties during
the remainder of the year having failed, the praefect is asked to
intervene and to send instructions to the strategus.
On the office and functions of the municipal eutheniarch cf. Wilcken,
Grundz., pp. 366-8, Jouguet, Vie municipale, pp. 324-7. His chief
concern, no doubt (p.163),
was the bread-supply ; cf. 1252. verso 15, 908, P.Tebt.397. 14-15. That
considerable personal obligations were involved was to be inferred from
908 and P. Tebt. 397, and is clear from the tenor of the present text.
The office seems to have had but a short history. First mentioned in
the latter half of the second century, it fell into abeyance during the
course of the third, and had only been revived, we now learn, along
with the municipal ἀγορανομία, the year before this document was
written. The latest dated mention of an eutheniarch is apparently P.
Leipzig 4. 9 of A.D. 293, and the title presumably disappeared, along
with the other civic ἀρχαί, early in the Byzantine period. Blank spaces
are commonly left at the end of sentences in this document, but the
writer is unsystematic and the blanks are not confined to places where
there is a pause in the sense.
recto:
translation from Greek: (p.164-5)
Col. ii. ‘Statement of proofs with regard to Theon, Heraclides, and
Thonius, late overseers of the fort at Elensais (?), concerning
the fact that nothing was extorted from them by Phileas, in accordance
with the order of the praefect. To Aurelius Heraclides, exegetes of
Alexandria, strategus of the Oxyrhynchite nome, from Aurelius Thonius
and Aurelius Heraclides, both exegetae, and Aurelius Theon,
chief-priest, all three councillors of the illustrious and most
illustrious city of Oxyrhynchus, formerly overseers of the fort at
Elensais. Whereas to-day, the 18th, you summoned us, and in your
memoranda read a letter of our most illustrious praefect Valerius
Pompeianus in which he gave orders that if we had suffered extortion
from Phileas, ex-magistrate of Alexandria, we were to come with the
proofs, but if not, we were to remain at home, and we forthwith
declared in your memoranda that we had not suffered any extortion from
Phileas, but you desired us to state this fact also in writing, we
again affirm our former declaration, that nothing has been extorted
from us by him, and we request that these facts should be made known to
his highness. The 6th year of the Emperor Caesar Gaius Aurelius
Valerius Diocletianus and the 5th year of the Emperor Caesar Marcus
Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Germanici Maximi Pii Felices Augusti,
Thoth 18.’ Signa-tures of Thonius, Heraclides, and Theon.
verso:
translation from Greek:
13-38. ‘From the prytanis. ‘The whole
food-supply, my lord praefect, ought to be forthcoming for the
citizens, but especially the provision of bread. You have now in πρύτανις the
past year propitiously revived for us... the civic office of
eutheniarch and agoranomus [1], which had long been in abeyance. I
myself, my lord praefect, having been recently appointed by your
propitious right hand to the prytany [2] at Oxyrhynchus readily came
forward to assume this crown of office and have had no other care,
undertaking (?) the expenses imposed upon me for the management of the
public baths and other municipal charges [3] and the continual service
of the senate in the appointment of magistrates. Now the order of
gymnasiarchs has so far designated only two eutheniarchs of the three
annually required [4,5], namely Heracleus son of Plutarchus and
Sarapammon son of . .., who came forward at the behest of the senate
[6] and at first declined the office but afterwards were persuaded and
assumed it, and partially supplied the needs of the post which ought to
be entirely contributed to the city by lot; for a period of four months
is allotted to each [7], in order to avoid the . . . trouble of
collective responsibility throughout each period. ‘Thereupon I urged
Ammonius [8] son of Ptollarion, gymnasiarch in office, from whom, it
was ascertained, a month more of his superintendence of provision was
due, to discharge this in the meantime in order that they might make a
recovery and easily discharge the remainder of their office without
reproach But since these persons when called upon to supply the city
with food during the rest of their term of office persist in their
refusal, I am obliged to have recourse to your probity, begging you to
[order] them through the strategus to .. -
Notes: (pp.167-168)
1. For the municipal agoranomus in connexion with the markets cf. C. P.
Herm. 102, Jouguet, Vie municipale, pp. 327 Sqq., and for the
association of this office with that of eutheniarch, B.G.U. 578.
2. The appointment of the prytanis was thus at least confirmed by the praefect.
3. As president of the boule (βουλή) the prytanis (πρύτανις) was
largely concerned with financial business ; cf. e.g. B.G.O. 362. xv.
2-8, C.P.Herm. 66, 67, 74, &c.; the first two of the latter group
as well as 82 relate to the public baths, and for the connexion of the
prytanis with these cf. especially No.1104.
4. From P. Rylands 77 it appears that in the 2nd century AD nominations
to the various civic offices were proposed by the κοινά of the offices
concerned, acting perhaps as delegates for the koinon ton archonton
(κοινὸν τῶν ἀρχόντων). That in the present instance the designation to
the post of eutheniarch proceeds from the tagma (τάγμα) of gymnasiarchs
may have been due to the fact that the eutheniarchy had only just been
revived and that its τάγμα had become obsolete. Possibly during the
period of abeyance the duties of the office had in some measure
devolved upon the gymnasiarchs.
5. At the end of the 2nd century AD, as shown by No. 908, there were at
Oxyrhynchus at least six eutheniarchs, and more probably twelve,
exercising their functions in alternate months in two sections of six.
The reduction of the number to three may have been made when the office
was revived.
6. the Boule and prytanis as its representative were responsible for the appointment.
7. The meaning apparently is that sole responsibility for four months
was less onerous than collective responsibility through the year; from
a financial point of view the reverse might have been expected.
8. Ammonius may have held office in the previous year, when, according to line 20, the eutheniarchy was reinstituted.
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No. 1253. Military Requisitions. 25.5 x 26.9 cm. 4th century AD. (p.168)
An official report presented to a praefect whose name is lost, giving
particulars of certain requisitions which had been made at Oxyrhynchus
by some military officers. It is not suggested that these requisitions,
which were mainly though not entirely (cf. line 12) in money, were
irregular or illegitimate ; the writer merely says that the report was
presented ‘for information’, but perhaps this mode of statement was
considered the more prudent.
Translation from Greek: (pp.169-170)
"Τo .... the most illustrious praefect of Egypt. It should be made
known that the members of the bodyguard and of the cohorts herein
following have stayed in the city of Oxyrhynchus on account of the . .
. and have assembled the public magistrates next to yourself in rank
and property-owners and received from them on account of travelling
expenses the amounts herein written, namely: . . . and Therius,
centurions, who came for the adaeratio and the contribution (?), 50
solidi of gold and 2 . . ., paid to them through Sarapion son of
Eudaemon, formerly banker; Zoilus, adjutant, 20 rugs of 6 cubits,
supplied to him through Sozon, rug-merchant Tauriscus, member of
the bodyguard, who came for the collection of corn and barley for the
days from the 7th to the 11th, 80 solidi of gold, of which the
collector (?)[1] was Isidorus, assistant of the praepositus of the 7th
pagus; Aquilinus, member of the bodyguard, colleague of the aforesaid
Tauriscus, 50 solidi of gold, of which the collector was Gaianus,
assistant of the praepositus of the 5th pagus. The account of what was
provided by each, the praepositi and the others, is with Triadelphus
the chief assistant of the (p.170) strategus. We give this information
in order that nothing may escape your highness, my lord praefect."
Notes:
1. Collector: The capitula were groups of proprietors responsible for supplying recruits, and the capitularia
were their temporary representatives who received their contributions
and conducted their business. But in the present passage there is
clearly no question of the support of recruits .... Apparently the
scope of the term was extended, and it was applied to other official
receivers or collectors of contributions and levies. ....
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No. 1254. Publication of an Appointment. 26.7 x 9.2 cm. AD 260. (p.170)
A letter from two comarchs to the strategus of the Cynopolite nome,
nominating a person for the duty of carrying to Alexandria a sample
(δεῖγμα) of the corn collected for the Government. Prefixed to this, in
a space left for the purpose by the writers of the letter, is a notice
by the strategus certifying the publication of the appointment; cf.
P.Flor.2, Wilcken, Archiv iii.
That samples of the public corn-dues were subjected to official scrutiny was
well known from e.g. No.708 ; cf. Wilcken’s remarks on that papyrus in Chrestom.
pp. 508-9. It now appears that in the third century AD at any rate such samples
were separately delivered at Alexandria by persons specially appointed for the
duty, whose title may now be restored in P. Strassb. 31. 6 (third century more
probably than second) ... At what period this practice was introduced
is unknown. In the third century B.C., as is shown by P. Hibeh 39. 15
and 98. 17, sealed samples accompanied the cargoes of corn.
translation from Greek: (p.172)
"From Aurelius Hierax also called Didymus, strategus of the Cynopolite
nome. A copy of the memorandum handed to me by the comarchs of the
village of . ...ruthis [1], presenting the person named below for the
conveyance of samples of the wheat belonging to the State which is
being conveyed to the most illustrious Alexandria, is publicly
exhibited, in order that every one may know and the person nominated
may enter on his duties. The 1st year of our lords Macrianus and
Quietus Pii Felices Augusti, Choiak 1."
"To Aurelius Hierax also called Didymus, strategus of the Cynopolite nome, from
Aurelius Silvanus son of Panetbauis and Aurelius Menches son of Theon,
both comarchs of the village of ... ruthis for the present 1st year.
For the conveyance of samples of the wheat belonging to the State which
is being conveyed to the most illustrious Alexandria we present the
undermentioned person, being a man of means and suitable, at our own
risk: Aurelius Petrus, whose mother is Tauris, aged about 30, having
property [2] worth 500 drachmae." Date and signatures of Silvanus and
Menches."
notes:
1. ...ruthis: Terutheos (Τερύθεως) is a possible reading, but
this is only known as an Oxyrhynchite name, and the nome here concerned
is the Cynopolite.
2.Property: evidence concerning the property-qualification of various
offices is conveniently collected by Meyer in the introd. to P. Giessen
58. He seems right in holding that poros (πόρος) in this connexion
signifies property, rather than income.
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No. 1255. Affidavit of Comarchs 16.6 x 10.6 cm. AD 292. (p.172)
A guarantee on oath, addressed by two comarchs of the village of Ision Panga to the strategus
of the nome, that they would allow no produce to be removed from the
village threshing-floors until the claims of the decaproti for dues to
the State had been fully satisfied. The priority of the representatives
of (p.173) the Government in the appropriation of the harvest was well
attested for the Ptolemaic period, e.g. by P.Tebt. 27. 53-64, and a
similar procedure had been inferred for Roman times (cf. Rostowzew,
Archiv iii, pp. 213-14, Wilcken, Grundz. pp. 215-16), but its clearest
evidence is found in the present text, which is to be regarded as an
undertaking to comply with a recognized requirement. An employment of
analogous methods in the Byzantine age may be seen in No. 1107.
Translation from Greek: (p.174)
‘To Claudius Dioscurides also called Chaereas, ex-strategus of the
Diopolite nome, strategus of the Oxyrhynchite nome, from Aurelius
Papontos son of Theon and Aurelius Horus son of Archelaus, both
comarchs of the village of Ision Panga for the present 8th which equals
the 7th year. Having been enjoined by you to keep in safety the crops
at the threshing-floors in our lands until the decaproti have received
payment in full of the public taxes from each person, we accordingly
agree, swearing by the fortune of our lords Diocletian and Maximian
Augusti, to be on the watch and to permit no one to touch the produce
until each person has paid to the local decaproti the amount due from
him, the measurement being made so that no complaint may ensue;
otherwise may we be liable to the penalties attaching to the oath. The
8th which is also the 7th year of our lords Diocletian and
Maximian Augusti, Pauni 19.’
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No. 1256. List of priests under age. 21.5 x 9.5 cm. AD 282. (p.174)
A list, presented by two comarchs of the Cynopolite village Laura to
the keepers of the public archives of the nome, of persons of priestly
descent who were not of full age .... The ranks of the priests were
only recruited from the younger members of their families.... In the
present list only two persons are included, one male and one female.
They were attached to temples of Anubis, Leto, and other gods, with
which was associated a shrine of Augustus—a good illustration of the
composite character of Egyptian cults at this period.
translation from Greek: (pp.175-6)
“To .,. . and . . . son of Sarapion, both keepers of the public records
of the upper division of the Cynopolite nome, from Aurelius
Patermouthis son of Saprion and Aurelius Kalatimis son of Petenouphis,
both comarchs of Laura with other villages [1]. List of priests’
children under age in the present 7th year, as follows: —Aurelius
Haruotes son of Hermanubis son of Harbeus [2], priest of the temples of
the first rank of Anubis, Leto [3], and the associated most great gods,
to whom has also been consecrated a shrine of the divine Augustus
Caesar [4], at Laura in the Cynopolite nome; ....tris
daughter of Thatres, priestess of the same temples [2]. The 7th year of
the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Probus Gothicus Maximus, Parthicus
Maximus, Germanicus Maximus, Pius Felix Augustus, Phamenoth 21. We,
Aurelius Patermouthis and Aurelius Kalaiimis, comarchs of Laura, have
presented this list. I, Aurelius Antonius, wrote on their behalf, as
they were illiterate."
Notes:
1. The association of villages for administrative purposes was common; cf. No.1281, and P.Hamburg 7.2,note.
2. It is remarkable that here the father only is mentioned, while in
the case of the priestess in line 17 her mother alone is named, which
suggests that priestly descent was required on the father’s side for
priests and on the mother’s for priestesses ...
3. Leto: A local cult of Leto in the Pathyrite nome is perhaps to be
inferred from the mention of the νῆσος Anrot(s) in P.Grenf. ii. 15.
Col. ii. 5.
4. On the cult of Augustus in Egypt cf. Blumenthal, Archiv. v, pp. 318-566.
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No. 1257. Statement concerning a Decaprotus. 17.6 x 23.3 cm. 3rd century AD. (p.176)
The purpose of this unaddressed document is not quite clear. It
is a statement drawn up by a person named Maximus (line 16) concerning
the accounts of an Oxyrhynchite decaprotus. A payment of 500 artabae
had been made to the latter after the proper time for receiving it had
passed, but it had been duly added to the account by his assistant.
Four years afterwards, when a superior official was at Oxyrhynchus, the
question of this late payment was reopened, apparently as a precedent
for further supplementary additions to the accounts; cf. note 3. This
statement, which seems to have been made out for some official occasion
rather than as a draft for a petition, is written across the fibres of
the papyrus in a semi-cursive hand dating from the latter part,
probably, of the third century AD. The fifth year mentioned as current
in line 14 might well be that of (p.177) Probus (AD 276-282).
On the verso are two mutilated columns of accounts in two hands, and in
the reverse direction the first two lines of a letter from Maximus (no
doubt the Maximus of the recto) to his father Horion.
translation from Greek: (pp.177-p178)
‘On the nomination οἵ Epimachus to the office of decaprotus in the
western toparchy of the Oxyrhynchite nome, as he was past his prime,
Thonius the stepfather of Epimachus administered the business of the
office [1]. After the time for the delivery of corn had passed Theon
also called Plutarchus, ex-hypomnematographus and now strategus of the
Tanite nome, directed Demetrius his agent to measure out 500 artabae to
the account of public dues in the first year of this most happy reign
to Thonius and his assistant Dionysius, who was also present. On
delivery by Demetrius of this amount the assistant followed the natural
course and added it by way of supplement to the accounts of the office
[2], that is, to the ledger of the amounts received and to the
individual list lodged in the archives through the monthly summary
presented by the decaprotus for (p.178) Epeiph in the first year. But
when his excellency Ammonius, collector of public corn-dues, was
[present] in the city of Oxyrhynchus in Phaophi of the present fifth
year, the aforesaid decaprotus Epimachus producing myself, Maximus, and
representing that Theon owed the 500 artabae asked that the further
amounts in his hands should be added [3] through the memoranda drawn up
by the strategus of the nome in the presence of his excellency
Ammonius, because they had been measured out to him to the account of
his office of decaprotus.’
Notes:
1. It is somewhat curious that the business of a παρῆλιξ should have
been conducted by his step-father (πατρωός), who would presumably have
been his elder.
2. "Accounts of the office": i.e., the current accounts kept by the
decaprotus as opposed to the more formal records presented for
preservation in the archives...
3. The phraseology here is somewhat obscure. ... as the passage stands
it can hardly be interpreted otherwise than as meaning that Epimachus
wished the strategus and the ἐπείκτης to authorize further supplements
to his accounts. ....[meaning] not that the 500 artabae were still due
from Theon, but that they had been due when strictly the accounts were
closed. But that further additions should be made after an interval of
four years is certainly surprising. ...
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. xxx" or "Oxy.xxx".
Abbreviations to other papyri collections and standard historical
references used by Grenfell and Hunt include the following:
Appian = Appian of Alexandria (AD 95-165) was a Greek historian.
Archiv.= Archiv fur Papyrusforschung.
B.G.U. = Aeg. Urkunden aus den K. Museum zu Berlin, Griechische Urkunden.
Cassius Dio = The History by Lucius Cassius Dio (AD 165-235), Roman historian.
C.I.G. = Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum, founded by August Bockh 1824-1860.
C.I.L. = Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, begun by Theodore Mommson in 1847.
Cod. Just.= Codex Justinianus, the legal code of Justinian I, instituted AD 527.
Cod. Theod.= Codex Theodosianus, the legal code of Theodosius II from AD 438.
C. P. Herm. = Corpus Papyrorum Hermopolitanorum, Vol. I, by C. Wessely.
C.P.R. = Corpus Papyrorum Raineri, by C. Wessely.
Euseb.Chron. = The Chronicle by Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 260-339).
Griech. Texte = Griechische Texte aus Aegypten, by P. M. Meyer.
Josephus Ant.Jud. = Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus (AD 37-100)
M. Chrest. = L. Mitteis, Chrestomathie.
Marcellinus =The late Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (ca.330-400 AD).
O.G.I. = Orientis Graecae Inscriptiones selectae, by W. Dittenberger.
P. Amh. = The Amherst Papyri (Greek), Vols. I-II, by B.P.Grenfell and A.S.Hunt.
P. Basel = Papyrusukunden der offentlichen Bibliot.U.Basel, by E. Rabel.
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. Cairo Maspero = Catalogue des Antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire, Papyrus grecs d’époque byzantine, by J. Maspero.
P. Cairo Preisigke = Griech.Urkunden des Aeg. Mus. zu Cairo, by F. Preisigke.
P. Fay. = Fayum Towns & Their Papyri by B.P.Grenfell, A.S.Hunt, & D.S.Hogarth
P. Flor. = Papiri Fiorentini, Vol. 1, by G. Vitelli.
P. Gen. = Les Papyus de Geneve, by J. Nicole.
P. Giessen = Griechische Papyri zu Giessen; E. Kornemann, O. Eger, & P. Meyer.
P. Goodsp. = Greek Papyri from the Cairo Museum, &c., by E. J. Goodspeed. .
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. Iande = Papyri Iandanae, by E. Shafer et al.
P. Leipzig = Griechische Urkunden der Papyrussammlung zu Leipzig by I Mitteis.
P. Leyden = Papyri Graeci Musei Antiquarii Lugduni-Batavi, by C. Leemans.
P. Lille = Papyrus grecs de Lille, by P. Jouguet, J. Lesquier, and others. .
P. Munich = Versffentlichungen aus der Papyrussammlung zu Miinchen, Part I, by A. Heisenberg and L. Wenger. .
P. Oxy. = The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, parts 1-13, by B.P. Grenfell and A.S. Hunt.
P. Par. = Les Papyrus grecs du Musée du Louvre, Wotices et Extraits, t. xviii. 2, by W. Brunet de Presle and E. Egger.
P. Petrie = The Flinders Petrie Papyri, by J.P. Mahaffy and J.G. Smyly.
P. Reinach = Papyrus grecs et demotiques, by T. Reinach et al.
P. Rev.Laws = The Revenue Laws of Ptolemy Philadelphus, by B.P. Grenfell.
P. Ryl. = Catalog of the Greek Papyri in the Rylands Library, by J. de
M. Johnson, V. Martin, and A.S.
Hunt.
P.S.I. = Papiri della Societa Italiana, by G. Vitelli et al.
P. Strassb. = Griech. Papyrus der K.Univ.bibliotheck zu Strassburg by F.Preisigke.
P. Stud. Pal. = Studien zur Palaeographie und Papyruskunde, by C. Wessely
P. Tebt. = The Tebtunis Papyri, by B.P. Grenfell, A.S. Hunt, et al.
P. Thead.= Papyrus de Théadelphie, by P. Jouguet. Preisigke, S. P.
Plin.Nat.Hist. = The Natural History by Gaius Plinus Secundus (AD 23-79).
Porphyry = Porphyry of Tyre (AD 234-305) was a Neoplatonic philospher.
SB. = Sammelbuch griechischer Urkunden aus Aegypten, by F. Preisigke.
W. Chr. = Crestomathie, by U. Wilcken.
Wilcken, Ost. = Griechische Ostraka, by U. Wilcken.
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