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The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Vol. 12, edited by Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1915)
Reports of Senate Proceedings: Nos. 1412-1414 (AD 270-284) [1] [2]
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No. 1412. Notice of a special meeting of the Senate. 22.5 x 21.6 cm. ca. AD 284. (p.26)
Direct evidence on the question that the meetings of the senate were
convened by the prytanis is now provided by this notice of a special
general meeting summoned by the prytanis, who bears a long and
interesting list of municipal titles (lines 1-3), in consequence of
letters received from the dioecetes (cf. No. 1409) and another high
official.
Urgent business was to be transacted by the appointment of liturgies
(leitourgoi) in connexion with the transport of corn required by
troops, stationed probably at Babylon (cf. No.1261), the requisite
boats having been already provided by the government (lines 8-10), The
precise character of the liturgies is not stated; but from other papyri
of the 3rd-4th century AD they are known to have included the
supervision of the transport by water, as well as the care of the
transport by land from the thesauroi to the Nile and the embarkation....
It is noticeable that no hour is fixed for the meeting, which was to be
held apparently on the same day (lines 14-16), and the place of
assembly is also described in general terms (line 11). Presumably both
time and place were subject to fixed rules and Oxyrhynchus had a
regular Bouleuterion, though it is still unattested ; the evidence for
Bouleuteria at other metropoleis is singularly slight ; cf. Jouguet,
of. cit. 374.
With a view of securing a full voluntary attendance at the meeting the
prytanis, if line 16 is rightly restored, had posted up publicly the
letters which he had received, and the concluding exhortation
concerning the necessity for dispatch (lines 16-20) also bears witness
to the difficulty of making senators perform their onerous duties in
connexion with liturgies. The somewhat dilatory character of their
deliberations is well illustrated by Nos. 1413 and 1415.
The date of the papyrus, which is written in a rather large late 3rd
century AD cursive hand, is not preserved, but the dioecetes Aurelius
Proteas (I. 9) is known from No.1115 .... to have held office in the
second year of Carinus (AD 283-4). The other high official, the
kratistos Ammonios (lines 9-10) is no doubt identical with Ammonios ...
in No.1257, and the unnamed emperor whose years are mentioned in
No.1257 was clearly Probus.... Aurelius Ammonius, the kratikstos in
No.1191 (6th year of Probus) was perhaps the same person, though
context there suggests that he was an epistrategus.
The ἐπείκτης δημοσίου σίτου, who is not mentioned elsewhere, was
apparently created in the third century in addition to the existing
ἐπίτροπος Νέας πόλεως, as the catholicus (cf. 1410. int.) was appointed
in addition to the dioecetes. The κράτιστος Αὐρ. ᾿Αμμωνίων in 1544. 3
(probably early in the reign of Diocletian) may also have been an
ἐπείκτης, and was possibly identical with Aur. Ammonius. ....
Translation from Greek: (p.27-28)
"The question of the transport of provisions for the most noble
soldiers does not admit even a brief delay, and for this reason, and
since letters from his excellency the dioecetes [1], Aurelius Proteas,
as well as from his excellency Ammonius, are urging us on this matter,
and the boats [2] to receive the supplies are already at anchor, it
became necessary to summon a special general meeting of the senate [3]
at a suitable place, in order that a discussion may be held on this
single subject [4], and the obligations performed as quickly as
possible. Accordingly in order that every one, being informed of this,
may willingly act as senator (?) to-day, which is the 15th, the letters
are publicly exhibited. I thought it right that you should know by this
proclamation that I have instructed you, being now in possession of the
facts, to assemble swiftly in view of the orders, since no other
subject remains for the present meeting, and to vote upon the elections
of those who are to serve. The 2nd (?) year, (month) 15."
Notes:
1. Regarding the relative ranking of officials: .... The order in point
of rank which Preisigke proposed was (1) gymnasiarch, (2) exegetes, (3)
cosmetes, (4) chief-priest, (5) agoranomus, (6) eutheniarch, (7)
hypomnematographus, and he considered that papyri differ from
inscriptions in usually having an ascending instead of a descending
order where several offices are mentioned together. The attempt to
differentiate the practice of papyri from that of inscriptions, ...
seems to us fallacious. If inscriptions provide somewhat more
exceptions than papyri to the general rule that titles are mentioned
together in an ascending scale, that is more likely to be due to local
variations of style than to the nature of the writing material...
The normal order of the hierarchy of municipal officials in the
nome-capitals was in our opinion as follows: (1) hypomnematographus,
(2) gymnasiarch, (3) exegetes, (4) cosmetes, (5) chief-priest, (6)
eutheniarch, (7) agoranomus.....
At Alexandria the conditions were somewhat different.... the order of
the Alexandrian hierarchy which we propose is the following: (1)
hypomnematographus, (2) archidikastes, (3) presbeutes, (4) gymnasiarch,
(5) exegetes, (6) cosmetes, (7) chief priest, (8) eutheniarch, (9)
agoranomus, (10) stratygos (?).
2. The boats (ploia) in question were no doubt publically owned (demosia). Private boats (ploiou idiou) were also frequently employed.
3. Special meeting: How often the ordinary meetings of Egyptian senates
were held is not known; very short notice was given in the present
instance. The word used in No. 1412 for "meeting" is not sunedrion but sunodos (line 19). For partial meetings of the senate cf. No.1414.
4. The duties of senators in connexion with the collection of corn and
the transport from the granaries to the boats are illustrated by
P.Brit.Mus.948 Flor. 75, Chrest. 434, and Stud.Pal.i.34, all .... to
senators concerning the receipt of corn for dispatch by river. ....
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No.1413. Report of proceedings of the Senate. 22.3 x 24.8 cm. AD 270-5.(p.31)
The procedure of the local senates in Egypt is very imperfectly known;
for though several fragments of reports of their debates are extant in
Nos. 1103 and perhaps 1805; B.G.U. 925 (Heracleopolis); C.P.Herm.7
(Hermopolis); and De Ricci, C.R. Acad.Inscr.1895.160; and Wilcken,
Archiv,iv. 115 (both Antinoopolis), owing to the great length of lines
which is customary in this class of documents the restoration of
lacunae is difficult.....
Nos. 1413-15, which are reports, divided into sections, of discussions
in the senate of Oxyrhynchus, with No.1416, a list of resolutions,
though also imperfect, are much more extensive, and serve to give a
very fair general idea of the proceedings.
The subjects of discussion illustrated by these four papyri concern
either administration or finance. Under the former head come the
appointment of exegetae and ἐπιτηρηταί (No. 1418), of a δημόσιος
τραπεζίτης (No. 1415), of a new prytanis (No. 1414), of an ἀγωνοθέτης
(No.1416), of a temporary cosmetes (?) (No. 1416), the apportionment of
the duties of gymnasarchs on particular days (Nos.1418 and 1416),
nominations for special liturgies such as the transport of military and
other supplies (Nos 1414 and 1415), arrangements for the local festival
(No.1416), or other duties (No. 1416).
Financial questions were debated in No.1418, concerning the completion
of a gold crown in honour of Aurelian (cf. No.1416, where some honour
to be bestowed on an Emperor and praefect is mentioned); No.1413,
concerning a payment for some public object for which the cosmetae seem
to have been responsible; No.1414, a) apparently concerning clothes
payable to the State; b) concerning the supply and price of yarn for
linen required by a temple, and c) dealing with an application from the
city linen-weavers for an increase of their remuneration ; cf. also No.
1416. referring to (p.32) loan from the municipal funds. An application
from the local priests is alluded to in No. 1416 .... but the nature of
the question discussed is uncertain....
The debate on each topic was generally opened by the reading of a
communication from the strategus or some other external official ....
or by an explanatory speech from the prytanis .... who was no doubt
responsible for the drawing up of No.1416 and often took a leading part
in the discussion (No.1418.) The senators’ remarks, as reported, are
frequently collective, as in B.G.U. 925, frequently also acclamations
like those in 41; but sometimes one section speaks, e.g. the exegetae
in No.1413, the members of the third tribe in No.1418; and in 1418 and
1415, though not in 1414, the names of individual senators are
mentioned, besides the syndikos. That official of the senate is
prominent in Nos.1413-14, especially in connexion with bringing matters
to a decision or collecting information to be used at a later sitting,
and he seems to have been a kind of legal adviser, as well as an
advocate of the senate in courts of law.
There are frequent references to communications to or from officials of
the central government, such as an epitropos in No. 1416, .... the
epistrategus in Nos.1418. and 1415, the strategus in Nos.1414 and 1415,
and magistrates whose titles are uncertain in Nos.1415 and 1416, but
the officials of the central government do not take part in the
debates.... A tendency to postpone business until the next meeting is
distinctly marked; cf. Nos.1418, 1414, 1416, and 1412....
Altogether Nos.1413-16 provide much new information, the details of
which are discussed in the commentary. No.1418, written in a small
cursive hand, consists of the ends of lines of ... five debates in the
reign of Aurelian (AD 270-275) on a day early in Thoth (see below).
No.1414, which is approximately contemporary with No.1418 since it
mentions the same syndikos, has on the verso a document written in the
fifth year of an Emperor ..., and whether the reigning monarch there
was Aurelian or Probus .... is uncertain. Nos.1413-14 therefore may
belong to the latter part of Aurelian’s reign; but the mention of the
chrysous stephanos kai nike in No.1418 suggests a year soon after
Aurelian had got rid of either Vaballathus, who was associated with him
in his first and second years, or Firmus, who revolted in his third or
fourth year. The second, third, and fourth sections are fairly
intelligible, though from lines 14 and 17 it appears that more than 80
letters are lost at the beginnings of lines normally.... (p.33)
The first three lines of No. 1413 give the conclusion of a discussion
about the filling up of an official post, probably that of exegetes,
which is also the subject of the following section. Lines 1-2 seem to
belong to a speech of the prytanis, acting as γνωμηεισηγητής (1. I,
n.), proposing to assign half the post to some one. This is followed by
some remarks from an exegetes, of which the senate expressed its
approval by a favourite exclamation at this period, ὠκεανέ (1. 3, n.).
In lines 4-18 the topic is the appointment of municipal magistrates,
whose numbers tended at this period to diminish owing to the lack of
willing candidates .... thus providing an interesting parallel to P.
Ryl. 77, which gives an account of the appointment of a cosmetes in the
period before the creation of senates....
Oxyrhynchus had at this period many gymnasiarchs (Nos.1418 and 1416)
and sometimes many eutheniarchs, who in 199 numbered 12 .... but how
many exegetae there were .... is unknown.
The prytanis opened the debate with a reference to honouring the
Emperor by the nomination of senators to magistracies, in order that
their payments for the crowns of office (στεπτικά) should be available
for the State, and, in answer perhaps to a question who should make the
first nominations, appealed to the exegetae. These officials suggested
that Serenus should be made exegetes.
After a remark by the prytanis, which is lost, perhaps a request for
more nominations, Sabinus, an ex-prytanis, called attention to the fact
that a certain Plution had not yet paid his στεπτικόν for becoming
exegetes; about this the prytanis apparently appealed to the grammateus
politikon for confirmation, and received an affirmative answer. The
subject of Plution’s debt was continued by one of the exegetae, perhaps
with a warning that the precedent was not to be followed in the case of
Serenus, to which the senators replied that the latter was nominated on
the security of his property.
The syndic then apparently closed the discussion about Serenus with a
remark of which the point is obscure, but which perhaps implied that
Serenus was ineligible owing to his being gymnasiarch. In any case the
prytanis appealed to the exegetae for further nominations, and they put
forward the name of Ion. A proposal was next made by a chief-priest
that Ion should have an epitertes attached to him, the suggestion
being accepted by the prytanis, who nominated Phileas and Plotinus for
this post, their names meeting with the approval of the senate. The
definitive appointment was, however, not made, the question being
adjourned till the next meeting, and the prytanis appealed to the
occupants of other magistracies to make nominations. The answer came
from the members of the third tribe, (p.34) which was at the moment
responsible for liturgies .... but the name of the person put forward
(as exegetes ?) is lost. As in the former case, an epitertes was
nominated by the prytanis, and his name greeted with acclamations by
the senate. '
After another proposal, which is lost, by the members of the third
tribe, the syndic again intervened, explaining that he had seized the
property of some individual (probably the person who had just been
mentioned by the third tribe), and would report later on its value. A
criticism of the two names presented by the third tribe was then made
by a new speaker (possibly a hypomnematographus), who stated that the
nominations had been made by only two persons, and this led to the
selection by the senators collectively of several persons, chosen
apparently from the whole body of the tribe or senate.
The debate concluded with some remarks by the syndic concerning the
first year of office, apparently making some concession to the newly
nominated persons in order to induce them to serve. In lines 19-24 the
topic was the days on which individual gymnasiarchs were responsible
for the provision of oil for gymnasial purposes, which was one of their
chief duties. The opening speaker seems to have been not, as usual, the
prytanis, but a gymnasiarch called Ptolemaeus, who stated that he had
recently provided oil on two days (probably Thoth 1 and 3) in place of
two of his colleagues, and apparently asked to be relieved from duty on
the days fixed for himself. The senators accepted his proposal with
acclamations, and appointed other persons to serve on Thoth 11 and 12,
which must have been subsequent to the date of the meeting. An
objection to the alteration of the dates was then raised by a
gymnasiarch whose name is lost, but was apparently overruled by the
senate, which proceeded to appoint persons for the 13th and following
days.
Another objection was then raised (1. 23) by a gymnasiarch called
Serenus (perhaps identical with the preceding objector), that the
change might affect him injuriously, and, if the first part of 1. 24
belongs to the same speaker, he seems to have claimed to have acted,
like Ptolemaeus, in place of some one else, his remarks being greeted
with applause from the senate.
A fresh section begins in 1. 25, the prytanis reporting the receipt of
a communication from the epeiktes chrysous stephanos kai nike of
Aurelian (of which the purport was similar to that of the letter of the
epeiktes demosiou sitou in No.1412), concerning the completion of a
golden crown due from the city. In order to expedite matters the
prytanis proposed that 12 talents more should be paid to the
artificers, and a discussion arose on the questions how and when the
amount was to be collected.
With regard to the first point it was decided to keep the same
collectors as previously ; with regard to the second the remarks of a
certain Euporus, who apparently wished to expedite the completion of
the (p.35) crown in view of the approaching visit of the epistrategus,
met with the approval of the senate. The syndic concluded the
discussion, promising to report any payments made to the artificers in
advance. The last section (lines 34-37) refers to some duty imposed
upon the cosmetae, apparently involving a payment for a public work of
some kind.
Translation from Greek: (p.37-38)
" 'and let a resolution be made for him on these terms, that he (is to serve) half (the office)... I introduce...’
"Septimius Serenus also called Ischyrion, exegetes, said, 'on these terms.'
"The senators said, 'Bravo, exegetes.'
"(The prytanis said)[1] 'the majesty of our lord Aurelianus Augustus.
Accordingly nominate also senators, in order that their payments for
crowns [2] (may contribute) to the...'
"(The senators said)...
"The prytanis said, ‘Do you exegetae press some one.'
"The exegetae said, 'Let Serenus (?) [3] be pressed to take the office of exegetes.'
"The prytanis said, ...
"Sabinus and however he is styled, ex-prytanis, said, 'Plution still
owes the payment for a crown on account of the office of exegetes which
he undertook among the magistracies.[4]'
"The prytanis said, ...,
"secretary of the city revenues, said, 'Yes.'
"Julianus also called Dioscurides, exegetes, said, 'Plution owes the payment for a crown; therefore he is not...[4]'
"The senators (?) said, 'The person nominated was nominated on the security of his own property.'
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomnematographus and
however he is styled, syndic [5], said, '... Serenus(?) is a
gymnasiarch.'
"The prytanis said, 'Nominate others, that the number of exegetae may be completed.'
"The exegetae said, “ Let Ion son οf... be pressed to take the office of exegetes held by his grandfather.'
"Secundus son of Secundus, chief-priest, said, 'Then let the person nominated be subject to overseers.'
"The prytanis said, 'I choose for the post of overseer... Phileas and
Plutinus, that they may discharge this trust for the senate.'
"The senators said, 'Upright, faithful Phileas; upright, faithful Plutinus.'
"This question... having been postponed until the next meeting of the
senate, the prytanis said, 'Let holders of the other offices also
nominate; and nominate senators also.'
"The members of the third tribe said, '(We nominate...).'
"The prytanis said, 'Nilus, senator, shall be overseer.'
"The senators said, 'Upright, faithful Nilus; ever-honourable is Nilus; success to him.'
"The members of the third tribe said, ...
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomnematographus and
however he is styled, syndic, said, 'I have impounded the property
of.... that is to say produce deposited at the farmstead of Monimou,
and when the amount is known, it shall be laid before you.'
" ...phus and however he is styled said, 'Those who were just now nominated were nominated by Phileas and Heraclidion.'
"The senators said, 'From the whole (tribe)... Upright, faithful
Horion, land-owner at Nesmimis; upright, faithful Leonides, land-owner
at Dositheou ; upright, faithful Besarion, land-owner at...'
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomnematographus and
however he is styled, syndic, said, 'In order that the persons
nominated may be pressed to serve and may take office, the first year’s
duty .. .'[6]
"(Ptolemaeus, gymnasiarch, said), '. .. promised to provide oil [7] on
Mesore 30. On Mesore 30 he failed to provide oil, but on the first day
of the following month he provided it through me...; on the 2nd oil was
provided by ...son of Philosophus; on the 3rd Theodorus son of
Ptolemaeus presided and failed to provide oil, but I provided it by a
loan. If therefore...'
"The senators said, 'Bravo, Ptolemaeus; bravo, gymnasiarch. The 11th is
the day of Dionysius also called Artemidorus, the 12th of Aristion also
called Andronicus, son of Asyncritus.'
"Serenus son of Ammonius(?), gymnasiarch, said, '... the interchange of days.'
"The senators said, 'The resolutions are valid. The 13th is the day of Xenicus and the gymnasiarchs-elect,.. .'[8]
"Serenus son of Ammonius, gymnasiarch, said, 'Do not let the
interchange of days injuriously affect the resolution concerning me
[9]. On the . . . even if he failed to provide oil; on the 28th Severus
and Epimachus, sons of Philosophus.'
"The senators said, 'Bravo, (Serenus ; bravo, gymnasiarch ?).'
"The prytanis said, 'The collector for the golden crown [10] and
victory of our lord Aurelianus Augustus, Julius (?)...(reported) . . .
our lord Aurelianus Augustus, and that his crown has already been
prepared, and unless the artificers...; these objects are votive
offerings. Let 12 talents more be given to the artificers...’
"The senators said, 'Let the same persons make the demands.'
"Theon also called Origenes, son of Chaeremon (?) and however he is styled, said, '. . . you can demand it from them.'
"The senators said, 'Upright, faithful collectors.'
"Euporus [11] also called Agathodaemon, and however he is styled, said, '..., if the work is not finished.'
"The prytanis said, 'His excellency the epistrategus also .. .'
"Euporus also called Agathodaemon (?), and however,he is styled, said,
'As soon as he comes, therefore, the work shall be pressed on.'
"The senators said, '... Euporus; obedient Euporus.'
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomne-matographus
and however he is styled, syndic, said, '. . . if any money is paid in
advance for the artificers, it shall be brought to your notice.'(p.39)
"The prytanis said, '. . . and the body of cosmetae through Cornelianus
[12] and Pausanias was then sent .. . reported that before the whole
cost was paid. ..'"
notes: (p.39-42)
1. The speaker, to whom the first part of line 2 also seems to belong,
is probably the prytanis.... The name and titles of Septimius Diogenes,
the only syndikos found in 1418-14 (cf. 1. 17, n.) cannot be restored
in line 2.
2. Steptika: the term does not
occur elsewhere. It clearly refers to payments for the crown of
office; The form steptikon supports the view (which is not the
usual one) that the officials called οἱ ἐπὶ τῶν στεμμάτων were
connected with the stephanoi of magistrates; cf. P.Ryl.77. 31,n.
3. At the beginning of the line the speakers were probably the Bouletai
or exegetai. Serenus: Since the exegetes ranked below the gymnasiarch
(No.1412, note 1), and the two offices were not, so far as is known,
combined, the circumstance that Serenus was a gymnasiarch seems to have
prevented, in the opinion of the σύνδικος, his being eligible for the
post of exegetes.
4. This refers to the seizure of a πόρος (that of Plution or some one
just mentioned ?), apparently owing to the owner’s refusal to become
exegetes or ἐπιτηρητής. For the restoration of the titles of the
σύνδικος cf. No.1414. For the rank of the ὑπομνηματογράφος cf. No.1412,
note 1.
5. Syndic: apart from Nos.1413-14, where Septimius Diogenes plays an
important part in the debates, and No. 1417, where another σύνδικος
appears on behalf of the senate at a trial before a strategus, not much
is known about syndics in Egypt. ... The normal number was at least
two.... In ancient Greek city-states the σύνδικοι seem to be identical
with ἔκδικοi, .... but the ἔκδικος τῆς πόλεως (defensor civitaiis), who
appears in Egypt early in the fourth century (cf. 1426. 4, n.), was an
official of the central government, whereas the σύνδικοι were
presumably elected by the senate, like the prytanis (No.1414. 24-7).
6. First year's duty: this new evidence for the normal tenure of
municipal offices having exceeded one year is confirmed by No.1418,
line 15....
7. Ptolemaeus must have been mentioned before line 21, and the sentence
[here] was probably a request to let him off his appointed day or days;
cf. ll. 22-3, where the proposed change is further discussed. ... Cf.
... C. P. Herm. 57-62, [which] reports to the βουλή by an ἐλαιοχύτης
(who corresponds to the elaiochristes) of the gymnasium concerning the
neglect to provide oil on particular days assigned to different
gymnasiarchs. The term épestatei is
new in connexion with gymnasiarchs. The context shows that it refers to
the one responsible for providing oil. The speaker in the first
part of the line may be Ptolemaeus or Serenus (cf. line 23), but is
more likely to be another gymnasiarch making a similar objection to
that of Serenus.
8. this probably refers to the previous decrees concerning the days of
gymnasiarchs, which were not to be affected ... That gymnasiarchs-elect
were liable for providing oil is noticeable; cf. P.Brit. Mus.1166,
where a μελλογυμνα- σίαρχος makes a contract regarding the heating of a
gymnasium thirteen months before entering office.
9. This refers to resolution appointing a particular day for Serenus, not a resolution proposed by him. (p.42)
10. Chrusou stephanou is a new title .... The levying of golden crowns
(aurum coronartum) was not confined to the Emperor’s accession ...
11. Euporos: cf. No. 1496. 26, and B.G.U. 1073 and 1074, where he
appears as prutanis in the 5th-6th years of Aurelian and his titles are
given in full (cf. p.28). His proposal met with the approval of the
senate (line 32).
12. Cornelianus: For the activity of the κοινά of different magistrates
after the foundation of senates cf. No.891, where the prytanis
Cornelianus (about twenty years after the date of No.1413) may be
identical with the cosmetes of that name here.
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No. 1414. Report of proceedings of the Senate. 22.3 x 18 cm. AD 270-5. (p.42)
This report is similar to No.1418 and approximately contemporary with
it, the same syndic being mentioned. It is written in two hands, of
which the first is smaller than the second, and both are different from
that of No.1418. The lines were of about the same length as those in
Nos.1418 and 1415, and both beginnings and ends are lost, but lines 4,
19, and 24, where the restorations are practically certain, combine to
indicate clearly the extent of the initial lacuna (about 16 letters) at
the beginning of a new section; the other lines presumably began a few
letters to the right, as in No.1415. ..... Besides the prytanis and
syndic, the only speakers appear to be the senators collectively, thus
affording a contrast to Nos.1418 and 1415.
The first three (or two) sections (lines 1-16) are concerned with different points connected with the clothing industries (othoninra).
That the Ptolemaic government controlled the textile industries in a
manner somewhat similar to the oil-monopoly was shown by the
fragmentary Cols 87-107 of P. Rev. Laws; but the details are obscure,
and how far the parallelism with the oil-monopoly is to be carried is
doubtful, especially in the Roman period, when Reil in fact supposes
that the weaving monopoly had disappeared.....
Most important of all is the present passage, which throws some much needed
light on the relations of traders and manufacturers in the textile
industries to the State and to the senate as tax-collector. ....
Lines 1-3 belong to the conclusion of a discussion about what seems to
be a sum payable by the nome as the value of (most probably) στιχάρια,
the prytanis being apparently the speaker. .... There was probably a
close connexion between the contributions of clothes for δημόσιος
ἱματισμός and the payments of money for τιμή of clothes in 1414 or
othoninra: the latter was probably an adaeratio from those who did not
provide actual clothes, and was balanced against the payments from the
local authorities to the city manufacturers (cf. 1. 15, n.) or, as
apparently in 11. 1-2, against the total value of clothes due from the’
nome to the central government, regarding (p.44) the vestments
(ὀθόνη) of a local temple, and the amount to be paid to the
yarn-merchants (λινέμποροι).
Probably a new section began at line 12, where the question of the remuneration of the city cloth-weavers (linouphoi)
was entered upon. The opening speech of the prytanis ... explained that
a previous resolution of the senate concerning the budget of a temple
required modification on account of the difficulty of obtaining yarn
for manufacturing the temple vestments. Owing to the refusal or
inability of the village flax-spinners and their wives to carry out
their engagements, it had apparently become necessary to apply to the
city yarn-merchants for the material, as was pointed out by the syndic,
who reported that the price demanded by them was 49 denarii (196
drachmae), of which 11 denarii had already been advanced from the
ταμιακὸς λόγος (1. 8, n.). This price was considered too high by the
senate, and they reduced it to 30 denarii (120 dr.) in all, a figure
accepted by the syndic, who then undertook to present a sample to the
weavers appointed for the manufacture of the temple linen....
The topic of discussion changes in lines 12-16, which are concerned
with a petition from the associated cloth-weavers of Oxyrhynchus,
asking for an increase in their remuneration owing to the rise in both
the price of raw materials and the wages of their assistants. Probably
these manufactures were destined for the State, like those in lines
1-3, not for the temple, as those in lines 4-11. The figures relating
to the demand of the cloth-weavers are not preserved ; but some
increase in remuneration was conceded by the senate, which fixed the
amount payable to them at 200 drachmae (for each bundle [κρίκος ?] )
After a short section (ll. 17-18), perhaps referring to a different
sitting (line 17, n.), which deals with an appointment to a public
office of some kind at the instance of the strategus, the question
being adjourned, ll. 19-23 are concerned with another and similar
communication from the strategus, ordering the appointment of persons
to convey animals and other supplies for the government down the river,
probably to Alexandria or Babylon; cf. 1415. 4-12. The prytanis stated
that in order to expedite matters he had held a partial meeting of
senators and nominated a certain Sarapion. His choice was ratified by
the acclamations of the senate as a whole. This interesting side-light
upon the powers of the prytanis serves to explain a passage in B.G. U.
144 (I. 21, n.).
Another instructive section follows in lines 24-7, concerning the approaching
resignation of the prytanis. The law, as it now appears, required that a new
prytanis should be nominated six months before entering office. How long the
normal tenure was is uncertain, but C. P. Herm. 57 sqq. show that at
(p.45) Hermopolis the same prytanis was in office for 14 consecutive
months in the 14th and 15th years of Gallienus, and probably he was
prytanis in the 13th year also, so that if the appointment was annual
re-election was evidently not unusual .... That the tenure was annual
is now much more doubtful in view of the new evidence concerning the
longer length of tenure (five years ?) of the offices of gymnasiarch
and decemprimus (cf. Nos. 1410, 1418) ; but the question of re-election
may well have entered into the present case, for after the senate had
declared their intention of making the necessary choice by a resolution
comes a speech from the prytanis alluding to his bad health, and that
he was declining a proposal to re-elect him (which is probably lost in
the lacuna between lines. 25-6) is fairly evident from the
complimentary entreaties of the senate that he should continue in
office, which seem to express the resolution alluded to in line 25.
A new section apparently began in line 28, where an obligation which
probably fell on some members of the senate is mentioned, but the
remains of the last three lines are very slight..... On the verso is a
list of payments by various officials in the 5th year of Aurelian or
Probus (1496) ; cf. No. 1413. introduction.
Translation from Greek: (pp.47-48)
lines 1-27. "(The prytanis said,) '. .. is owing, and 14 talents. The
value of the 100 (?) garments is 14[0] talents [1]... I have received
the 63 belonging to the nome on account of the city’s share. Let them
be compelled to pay monthly from their own property 73(?)...'
"The prytanis said, 'You examined the list of the temple [2] and fixed
a limit [3], and your resolution was submitted to the strategus, but
(the priests?) . . . made the excuse that those who undertook the work
in question and their wives were unable to spin the yarn, .. . (see)
that on this point also you fix a limit, for there are only a few
villages in your nome which have this material.' [4]
"The senators said,...
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomnematographus and
however he is styled, syndic, said, ‘(The yarn-merchants report that) .
. . and the price of weaving-yarn is 49 denarii, and 11 denarii were
paid to them from the Treasury’s account...'
"The senators said, ‘Let the yarn-merchants be content with 19 denarii
besides what was paid to them from the Treasury’s account.[5]'
"Septimius Diogenes also called Agathodaemon, ex-hypomnematographus and
however he is styled, syndic, said, 'If this is your decision in the
case of the weaving-yarn, we will supply a sample and... to those who
are to weave it... Let the cloth-weavers who are to weave the linen of
the temple [6] appoint (?) some one to (test it ?).'
"A petition of the city cloth-weavers having been read, to the effect
that, besides the... (p.48) drachmae paid to them in the past year (for
each .. .),. . more drachmae should be given to them on account of the
rise in the value of the materials and in the wages of their workmen,
after the reading the prytanis said, 'Let . . more drachmae be given to
the cloth-weavers, making 200 drachmae in all [7], on account of the
rise in value of the materials. Decree this... When the bundle (?)
[8] has been valued, let these (drachmae) too accrue. Those who
pay the value of the (cloth) [9] . .. it shall be submitted to you at
the next meeting of the senate.'
"The senators said, ' So be it.' (Date?)
"A communication from Terentius Arius, strategus, having been read,
concerning the election of . . .[10], it was decided to postpone the
matter until the next meeting. A communication from the strategus
having been read, concerning the election of other convoyers of
animals, after the reading the prytanis said, '. . . especially the
convoyers of the animals transported... I collected some senators who
were present and nominated one, Sarapion...in order that there should
not be (any delay)...'
"The senators said, 'Invaluable prytanis ; save yourself for us, prytanis; excellent is your rule; excellent...'
"The prytanis said, '... is in the counting-house.'
"The senators said, 'The prytanis has done right.'
"The prytanis said, 'The law commands that the coming prytanis should be nominated six months beforehand. I remind you...'
"The senators said, 'The nomination is made with a resolution...'
"The prytanis said, '... for I have (long) been ill and have a cough from my lung, as you know,...'
"The senators said, '(Illustrious) prytanis, noble prytanis, still labour for us; labour in a manner worthy of the past.; "
Notes:
1. 74+64 = 14 (talents) The use of μηνιαῖοι for persons making monthly
payments, not, as usual, for μηνιαῖοι λόγοι (cf. Wilcken, Archzv, ii.
126) is remarkable, but without alteration of the text can hardly be
avoided.
2. List of the temple (ἱεροῦ γραφήν): this document probably resembled
B.G.U. 362, the official budget of the chief temple at Arsinoé in AD
215, and corresponded to the budget usually appended before AD 202 to
the annual contents of the temple (γραφαὶ ἱερέων καὶ χειρισμοῦ) ....
After the establishment of senates, which assumed the administration of
the temples, the budgets seem to have been drawn up by a special
epimeletes (ἐπιμελητής) appointed by the senate .... rather than by the
priests. .... The temple in question, which was not precisely described
...., was probably one of the two principal shrines at Oxyrhynchus, the
Serapeum and Thoéreum....
3. "Fixed a limit": The amount to be collected by the senate for the
yarn required by the priests. Lines 8-9, where an advance is said to
have been made to the yarn-merchants from the ταμιακὸς λόγος, probably
do not (p.49) imply more than that the senate was responsible for
obtaining the supply of yarn; for the actual price of this material
presumably fell directly upon ... the contributors to the temple, who
were by no means all senators, as is shown by the list of persons (many
of them women) making payments to the Arsinoite temple in B.G.U.362.
4. The point of the remark ... is not that the villages had failed to
produce the statutable amount of yarn, but that this material would
have to be obtained not from the local villages, but from the city
λινέμποροι, who presumably imported it from other nomes, if there was
not enough in the city.
5. Since the 11 denarii which had already been paid were part of the 49
denarii, whereas in line 9 they are an addition to the 19 denarii, ‘The
senate, as we think, offered 30 denarii instead of the 49 demanded by
the yarn-merchants, who do not appear to have had their prices fixed
beforehand by a State tariff .... How much yarn was supplied for 49
denarii may have been stated in the lacuna in lines 7-8....
6. The city cloth weavers (λινόῦφοι) seem to be distinct, and not
concerned with the temple, while with regard to the supply of yarn
their arrangements were different from those in lines 11-14. λινόῦφοι
τῆς πόλεως means the whole guild of cloth-weavers , .... this being the
first mention of them in the Roman period ... They must have been the
persons responsible for making the cloth required from the city....
7. 200 drachmae are much too small a sum to represent the whole amount
due to the cloth-weavers. It is clear that the city cloth-weavers
(λινόῦφοι τῆς πόλεως) had to find their own yarn, unlike the
weavers mentionned in lines 10-11.
8. "Bundle": κρίκος, which usually means an iron ring ... here ...
seems to refer to a bundle of cloth, perhaps tied by a ring. With
reference to the additional drachmae (p.51) voted by the senate,
... the payment to the cloth-weavers would naturally be made after the
valuation of the cloth following its manufacture.
9. "Those who pay" are clearly tax-payers, not purchasers, and appear
to have been the persons responsible for paying to the senate for the
cloth-weavers the value of the cloth....
10. Regarding the postponement by the Senate, the appointment of a
prytanis seems to have required the confirmation of the praefect....
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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