Oxyrhynchos (Upper Egypt, Egypt — Pleiades map), 288 CE (July 26)
GRA III 274 = POxy XXVII 2476 = BL VIII 258-259 = BL IX 195 = Papyri.info TM 17010 = AGRW ID# 31527
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1912

(Letter of Claudius, 43 CE)

“Tiberius Claudius Caesar, supreme high-priest, with tribunician power for the second time, consul for the fourth time, father of the fatherland, acclaimed emperor (imperator) for the fourth time, to the world-wide performers (technitai) gathered around Dionysos who are crowned sacred-victors, and to their fellow-competitors (synagonistai) (?) . . . , greetings!  I permit the setting up of statues in the way we worship with appropriate honor, and I confirm the rights and privileges that were granted to you by the god Augustus.  Your ambassadors were Claudius Thamyris, Claudius Kastor, Antonius Nataleios, and his son Logios (?) . . . Farewell! (?)”

. . . This occurred in Rome during the consulship of Tiberius (?) . . . Claudius Caesar and the second consulship of Julius Vitellius.

(Edict of Hadrian)

Summary of the edict of the divine Hadrian: . . . concerning the gifts granted to the synod, which include . . . inviolability (asylia), the best seats, exemption from compulsory service, exemption from service positions for the People (leitourgoi), and the right to keep earned money from private business or . . . from games (?) . . . without taxation, . . . exemption from serving as judge (?). . ., exemption from appointment as sureties, exemption from personal taxes, exemption from the official position of sacrificer, exemption from having to host foreign guests, exemption from being held by a guard (i.e. being imprisoned), . . . nor be liable for the death penalty.

(Letter of emperor Severus, 193–211 CE)

The letter of the divine Severus . . .:  “It was reasonable that you, who participate in the sacred synod, rejoiced at the arrival of my complete control and dominion, and that you have made your decision known through a resolution which you present to us.  I willingly grant to them the rights which were held from the beginning, which were rightly and kindly granted to you by rulers before me. I also guard these rights, wishing to support and honor these performers and devotees of Dionysos due to their honor. Farewell!”

(Letter of emperor Severus Alexander, 222–235 CE)

Letter of the divine Alexander: “All that my father, the divine Antoninus and the divine Severus, my grandfather, and my ancestors before them, have judged regarding you and the rights given to you, I declare to be valid. The judges of each game will comply with these rights. The world-wide performers gathered around Dionysos, and the sacred musical, world-wide, travelling, great synod (synodos) of performers gathered around Dionysos, crowned sacred-victors patronized by the pious, fortunate, and revered Diocletian and Maximian.  To the performers and crowned victors of the same society, greetings!”

(Documents regarding Aurelius Hatres a high-priest of the performers, ca. 288 CE)

“Know that Aurelius Hatres, son of Peteesius and grandson of Nechthenibis, an Oxyrhynchite, has been appointed as high-priest to the sacred musical, travelling, world-wide, great synod, patronized by Diocletian and Maximian and, in accordance with imperial law, he has paid in full the entire entrance fee of 850 denarii and the payment to the temple of the emperors. We have written to you so that you might know.  Farewell!”

“Completed in the noble most renowned and most remarkable city of the Panopolites on the seventh Pythiad, during the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, theatrical, and athletic Pythian games of Perseus of the Sky in the festival of Pan, in the presence of the following leaders (archons) of the synod:

First office being Marcus Aurelius Herakleius Commodus, citizen of Antinoopolis and Panopolis, victor of the Pythian, Capitoline and many other games;  next officer and secretary (grammateus), Agathokles, also called Asterius, who plays and sings with the lyre, citizen of Alexandria, Antinoopolis and Lycopolis, victor in the Pythian and many other games; and, the legal official, Aurelius Casyllas, citizen of Panopolis and Antinoopolis, a trumpeter, victor in the Olympic, Pythian and many other games.”

“I, Aurelius Herakleios, also called Nikantinoos, citizen of Antinoopolis, Panopolis, Hermopolis, Lycopolis and Oxyrhynchus, victor in the Olympic, Capitoline, Pythian and many other games, first leader (archon) of the sacred, musical, great synod, patronized by Diocletian and Maximian, have signed and sealed for Aurelius Hatres, son of Peteesius and grandson of Necthenibis, an Oxyrhynchite, for enrollment to the high-priesthood, in my presence, in the most noble and reverent city in the Pantapolite on the 7th Pythiad, during the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, theatrical and scenic games of Perseus of the Sky at the great festival of Pan.”

“I, Marcus Aurelius Agathokles, called Asterius, singer and player of the lyre, citizen of Alexandria, Antinoopolis and Lycopolis, victor at the Capitoline, Pythian and many other games, second officer and secretary of the sacred, musical, great synod patronized by Diocletian and Maximian, signed and sealed for Aurelius Hatres, son of Peteesius and grandson of Necthenibis, an Oxyrhynchite for enrollment to the high-priesthood, in my presence on the 7th Pythiad, during the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, theatrical and scenic games of Perseus of the Sky at the great festival of Pan.”

“I, Aurelius Casyllas, citizen of Panopolis and Antinoopolis, victor in the Olympian and Pythian games, legal officer of the sacred, musicals, travelling, great synod patronized by Diocletian and Maximian, signed and sealed for Aurelius Hatres, son of Peteesius and grandson of Necthenibis, an Oxyrhynchite for enrollment to the high priesthood, in my presence on the 7th Pythiad, during the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, theatrical, scenic and athletic games of Perseus of the Sky at the great festival of Pan.”

“I, Marcus Aurelius Horion, citizen of Hermopolis and colony of the metropolis Antioch and citizen of many other cities, trumpeter, many times victor in the Olympian, Pythian, Capitoline, . . . and many other games, president of the games, completed this document.”

(Honorary decree of the performers for Hatres)

“The decree of those arrived from the sacred, musical, world-wide, great synod patronized by Diocletian and Maximian in this noble and renowned and remarkable city in the Panopolite on the 7th Pythiad during the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, scenic, and athletic Pythian games of Perseus of the sky in the festival of the great Pan: It has been decided that the imperial edicts be added to the copy and delivered, imprinted with the sacred seal of our leader, Dionysos, to the most powerful Council and renowned People of the noble and renowned city of Oxyrhynchus.  Supported by Aurelius Casyllus, citizen of Panopolis and Antinoopolis, trumpeter, victor in the Olympian, Pythian and many other games; Marcus Aurelius Agricolaos, citizen of Panopolis, trumpeter, victor of the Olympia Pythian, and many other games moved that he be crowned and presented . . . with a gold crown those devoted to the divine fortune of our unconquered Lords Diocletian and Maximian (lines 40–42 too fragmentary to translate) . . . Aurelius Hatres son of Peteesius and grandson of Nechthenibis, high-priest, from the illustrious and most illustrious city of the Oxyrhynchites, who revered the imperial oath of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, invincible Augusti, we thought it right that he should not gain less than others from the sacred, musical synod.  So we named him high-priest of the games of the 7th quinquennial Pythiad of the sacred, triumphal-entry, world-wide, scenic, athletic and Pythian games of Perseus of the Sky during the festival of great Pan. And we have sent to you the following decree so that you may know the good character of the man towards us and the honor shown towards this man from the sacred, musical synod regarding his exemption from taxes and liturgies according to the imperial decrees on these matters.

I, Marcus Aurelius Casyllas, citizen of Panopolis and Antinoopolis, trumpeter, victor in the Olympic, Pythian and many other games, moved the resolution.  I, Marcus Aurelius Agricolaos, citizen of Panopolis, trumpeter, victor of the Olympian, Pythian and many other games, second the resolution.  I, Marcus Aurelius Horion, citizen of Hermopolis, colony of the metropolis Antioch and citizen of many other cities, trumpeter, victor many times in the Olympian, Pythian, Capitoline and many other games put forward the resolution. In the fourth year and third year of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, pious, happy, august. On the 2nd of the month of Mesore.”

Item added: July 16, 2020
Item modified: July 16, 2020
ID number: 31527
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