Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

[302] Regulations of the Salt-merchants (47 CE (18 August)) Tebtynis - Fayum region


Tebtynis (Fayum region, Egypt — Pleiades map), 47 CE (18 August)
AGRW 302 = GRA III 219 = PMich V 245 = Papyri.info TM 12086 = AGRW ID# 3174
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1658


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Papyrus (12.9 x 28.7 cm), now in Ann Arbor, Michigan (inv. 657).

In the seventh year of emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, on the 25th of the month Kaisareios. Coming together, the undersigned men, salt-merchants (halopōlai) of Tebtynis, have decided by common consent to elect one of their number, a good man, Apynchis son of Orseus, both supervisor (epimelētēs) and collector of the public taxes for the coming eighth year of emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. The afore­mentioned Apynchis is to collect all the public taxes for the same trade (ergasia) for the coming year. All, acting together, shall sell salt in the aforementioned village ofTebtynis.  Orseus alone has obtained the sole right by lot to sell gypsum in the aforementioned village of Tebtynis and in the nearby villages, for which he shall pay, apart from the portion of the public charges that falls to him, another sixty-six silver drachmas. Likewise, it is agreed that the same Orseus has obtained the sole right in Kerkesis to sell salt, for which he shall likewise pay another eight silver drachmas. And it is agreed that Harmiysis, also called Belles son of Harmiysis, has obtained the sole right to sell salt and gypsum in the village of Tristomos, also called Boukolos, for which he shall pay, apart from the portion of the public charges that falls to him, another five silver drachmas.  This is upon the condition that they shall sell high quality salt at the rate of two and one-half obols, the light salt at the rate of two obols, and the lighter salt at one and one-half obol, by our measure or that of the warehouse. If someone sells salt at a lower price than these, he shall be fined eight silver drachmas, payable to the common fund and the same to the public treasury.  And if any of them is found to have sold more than one coin’s (stater’s) worth of salt to a store, he shall be fined eight silver drachmas, payable to the common fund and the same amount to the public treasury.

If the merchant intends to buy more than four drachmas of salt, it is necessary that all sell to him jointly. If someone imports gypsum and wants to sell it outside the area, it must be left in the storerooms of Orseus son of Harmiysis, until he takes it outside the area and sells it.

It is agreed that they shall drink always on the 25th of each month with each member having a liquid measure (chous; i.e. about 3.25 litres) of beer. If someone fails to attend a meeting in the village he shall be fined one drachma;  if the meeting is outside the village, the fine is four drachmas, and if it is in the metropolis, eight drachmas. If someone fails to pay his dues and does not pay any of the public charges or fines (?) laid against him, Apynchis has the authority to arrest him, whether in the town square or in his house or in the field, and to hand him over as was indicated above.

Apynchis son of Orseus (?), leader (hēgoumenos), about 32 years old, with a scar on the right side. . .; Name . . . about 31 years old, with a scar on his left hand; . . . Name about 55 years old, with a scar on his . . . foot; . . . Name about . . . years old with a scar. . .;  . . . Name about . . . years old with a scar. . .

Translation by: Kloppenborg



ἔτους ἑβδόμου Τιβερίου Κλαυδίου Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ Γερμανικοῦ | Αὐτοκράτορος μηνὸς Καισαρήου κε. ἐλθόντος ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτω ὑ ὑπο|γεγραμμένυ ἄνδρες ἁλοπολυ τῶν ἀπὸ Τεβτύνεως ἐδοξανσαν | ἑαυτῦς κυνῇ γνώμῃ προχιρίσαι τινὰ ἐξ αὑτῶν ἄνδρα ἀγαθὸν || τὸν καὶ ἐπιμελι̣τὴν καὶ εἰσακτον τῶν δημοσίων Ἀπύνχιν | Ὀρσεῦτος τοῦ ἰσιόντος ὀγδώου ἔτους Τιβερίου Κλαυδίου | Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ Γερμανικοῦ Αὐτοκράτορος, τοῦ αὐτοῦ | Ἀπύνχεος εἰσάγοντος τὰ δημόσια τῆς αὐτῆς ἐργασίας | ἅπαντα τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἰσιόντος ἔτους, καὶ πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ αὐ||τὸ πολῖν το ται ἅλα ἐν τῇ προκιμένῃ κώμῃ Τεβτύνι καὶ | κεκληρῶσθαι τὸν μὲν Ὀρσεῦν μόνον πολῖν το γυπσος | {μόνος} ἐν τῇ προκιμένῃ κώμῃ Τεβτύνι καὶ ἐν ταῖς συνκυ|ροῦσι κώμαις, ὑπὲρ οὗ διαγράψι χορὶς τοῦ ἐπιβάλλοντος | αὐτῷ μέρους τῶν δημοσίων ἄλλας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς ἑξήκοντα || ἕξ . καὶ ὁμοίως ὁ αὐτὸς Ὀρσεῦς κεκληρῶσθαι τὴν Κερκῆσιν τοῦ | πολῖν ἐν αὐτῇ μονος ἅλλα, ὑπὲρ οὗ διαγράψι ὁμοίως {ὑπὲρ τού|των} ἄλλας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς ὀκτώι , καὶ κεκληρῶσθαι | Ἁρμιῦσιν τὸν καὶ Βελλῆν Ἁρμιύσιος μονος τοὺ πολῖν | ἅλα καὶ γυψος ἐν κώμῃ Τριστόμου τοῦ καὶ Βουκόλου, ὑπὲρ || οὗ τελέσι χορὶς τοῦ ἐπιβάλλοντος αὐτῷ μέρους δημοσίων | ἄλλας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς πέντε , ἐφʼ ᾧ πωλήσουσι το ἅλα το | καλὸν ἐξ ὀβολῶν δύο ἡ̣μίσους καὶ το λεππτὸν ὀβολῶν δύο | καὶ τουπεὶ τὸ λεππτότερον ὀβολοῦ ἑνὸς ἡμίσους τῷ τε | ἡ̣[μ]ῶ̣ν μέτρῳ ἢ τῷ τοῦ θησαυροῦ. ὣς ἄν τις πολήσι̣ ἐλατ||τ̣ω̣ τούτω[ν] ζημιούσθω ὁ τοιοῦτος εἰς τὸ κυνὸν ἀργυρί|[ου] δραχμὰς ὀκτὼ καὶ ἰς τὸ δημόσιον τὰς ἴσας, καὶ ἐὰν | [δέ] τις αὐτῶν εὑρηθῇ πεπρακὼς ἐμπόρῳ πλύωι στα|τ̣ῆ̣ρος ἁλλὸς ζημιούσθω ὁ τυοῦτος εἰς τὸ κυνὸν ἀργυρίου | δραχμὰς ὀκτὼ καὶ ἰς τὸ δημόσιον τὰς ἴσας. ἐὰν δὲ {ω πλυ/ω̣ι̣} || μέλλῃ ὁ ἔμπορος πλύω ἀγωράζιν (δραχμῶν) δ ἐπάνανκον | π̣ά̣ν̣τος πολήσιν αὐτῷ κυνῶς. ἐὰν δέ τις ἐνινκῃ γυπσ̣ο̣ς̣ καὶ μέλλῃ πολῖν ἐπὶ ξένης ἐπάναγκον αἰαθήσε|τ̣ε̣ ἐν τῦς τοῦ Ὀρσεῦτος Ἁρμιύσιος μέχρι οὗ λάβῃ ἐπὶ | ξένης καὶ πολήσῃ ἐφʼ ᾧ πίονται κατὰ μῆνας ἀεὶ τῇ κε || ἕ[κ]α̣στος ζύτου χοῦν ἕνα , ἐάν τε πλ̣ερε̣τιν, ἐάν τε λι | ̣[ ̣] ̣σ̣τάσεος, ἐπὶ μὲν κώμης (δραχμὴν) α, ἐπὶ δὲ ξένης (δραχμὰς) δ, ἐπὶ | δ[ὲ τῆς] μ̣η̣τροπόλεος (δραχμὰς) η. τὸν δὲ ἀδωσιτικοῦντα | [καὶ μ]ὴ̣ [ἀ]ν̣απλεροῦντά τι τῶν δημοσίων ἢ καὶ τῶν | [προσε]ν̣κληθησομένων αὐτῦς ἐξ̣ῖναι τῷ αὐτῷ Ἀπ||[ύνχι [ἐνε]χ̣υράσζιν αὐτοὺς ἔν τε τῇ πλατέᾳ καὶ ἐν | [ταῖς οἰκί]α̣ι̣ς̣ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῶι καὶ παραδιδαιναι αὐτοὺς | [καθὼς πρό]κι̣τ̣α̣ι̣. [ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣ ἡγο[ύ]μενο(ς) (ὡς ἐτῶν) λβ οὐλὴ [ὀ]φρύει ἀρ[ι]στερᾷ | [ -- ] (ἐτῶν) λ̣α̣ οὐλὴ χ̣ι̣ρεὶ ἀρ[ισ]τ̣ε̣ρ̣ᾷ || [- ca.9 -]υ̣τ̣ ̣ (ὡς ἐτῶν) νε [οὐ]λὴ ποδ[ὶ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣ ̣ ̣| [ - - - ] (ὡς ἐτῶν) ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣[ - - - ] | [ - - - ] (ὡς ἐτῶν) [ - - - ]

Item added: September 18, 2012
Item modified: May 27, 2021
ID number: 3174
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=3174

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