Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Edict of C. Vibius Maximus on Exemption for Weavers and Others (119 CE) Arsinoites - Fayum region


Arsinoites (Fayum region, Egypt — Pleiades map), 119 CE (after August 4)
GRA III 230 = PPhil 1, lines 1-35 = BL IX 211 = Papyri.info TM 12713 = AGRW ID# 31378


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Papyrus in four fragments (31 x 44 cm). Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo (JdE 49280).

To Artemidoros the commander (stratēgos) . . . of . . .  I have recorded the payment given to me by Dosastephanos and the craftsmen (cheirotechnai) associated with him.  I am amazed how the matter that was ordered by his excellency Maximus and by me is still opposed.  For what he wrote remains in force.  If some who are wealthy wish to take refuge in a craft (ergasia), they should not succeed in doing this, seeing how I have given orders about those who have greater wealth. For when Maximus called upon those whose worth was greater than one talent in property to engage in farming, while making an exception for the weavers (gerdioi) along with the others, it was in violation of Maximus’ judgment if a weaver was burdened with service (a liturgy) even though he did not have property worth a talent.  But if someone had more wealth in property he would try to evade responsibilities with the pretense of being in a craft. It seems to me good to decide the punishment of . . . talent. Year 12 of Trajan on the 11th of Thoth.

Chapter from an edict of Gaius Vibius Maximus, prefect of Egypt:

Persons of the categories listed below who own their own land shall have a service (liturgical) obligation provided that they have a taxable estate greater in value than 1 talent, which has been estimated not from an unofficial declaration but from their actual wealth.   However, priests, shall be obligated only if they cultivate their own land.  The following are exempted from service (liturgies; i.e. if they own land valued less than 1 talent): priests of the high-ranking temples . . . maintainers of animals (ktēnotrophoi) for transportation, . . . old men, men officially recognized as sick, . . . physicians (iatroi), . . . dealers (pōlai) in . . ., potters (karameis [?]), manufacturers of oil (elaiourgoi). . ., fullers (gnapheis). . ., carpenters (tektones), . . . goldsmiths (chrysochooi) and whoever pay the tax on crafts . . . Year . . .

Translation by: Kloppenborg



[ -ca.?- Ἀρτε]μιδώρῳ [σ]τ̣ρ[ατ]η̣[γῷ] | [Ὀνο]υ̣φείτ̣[ου -ca.?-]([ -ca.?- ]υ̣φει ̣[ -ca.?- ]) | [ἀναφό]ρ̣ιον δοθέν [μο]ι̣ ὑπὸ Δωσᾶ Σ̣τ̣εφάνου (Δωσατεφάνου (or Δωσα<σ>τεφάνου)) καὶ τῶν | [σὺν αὐτ]ῷ χειροτεχν[ῶν] ὑποτάξας σεσημίωμε (σεσημείωμαι) μ̣έ̣ν· θαυ||[μάζω] δὲ πῶς ὁρισθέ[ντο]ς τοῦ πράγματος καὶ ὑπὸ Μαξίμου | [τοῦ κρ]ατίστου καὶ ὑπʼ [ἐμο]ῦ ἔτι ἐπηρ[ε]άζεται. τὸ γὰ[ρ] γεγρα|φέ[ναι εἰς ὃ] ἐ̣π̣[ε]ζήτη[σεν] ὑπολείπεσθαι, εἴ τινες εὔπο|ροι ὄν[τες] θέλουσιν [ὑπ]οστέλλειν τῇ ἐργασίᾳ τούτοις | μὴ προχωρεῖν δ[ῆλο]ν ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν πλίονα (πλείονα) πόρον ἔ||χόντων ἔταξα. Μ[αξί]μου γὰρ ἀπὸ ταλάντου καλοῦντο(ς) | ἰς (εἰς) γεωργίαν τοὺς ἰ(ϊδιω[τικ]ην)διω[τικ]ὴν γῆν κεκτημένους, ἀπο|λύοντος δὲ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοὺς γερδίους, δῆλον ὡς | οὐκ ἐάν τις γέρδιος τάλαντον ἦν κεκτημένος ε[ἰ]ς λι|τουργίαν (λει|τουργίαν) ἀχθήσεται [ἀ]πενάντιον τῇ Μαξίμου κρίσι (κρίσει), || ἀλλὰ εἴ τις ἔτι πλείονα πόρον κεκτημένος ὑπ[ο]φεύ̣γ̣ι̣ (ὑποφεύγει) | σκέπῃ τῆς ἐργασίας, δ[ο]κεῖ μοι ἐξαρκεῖν τὸ τείμημα (τίμημα) | μ̣ε ̣[ ̣ ̣] ̣υ̣ειν ταλαντ[ ̣]ν. (ἔτους) ιβ Τρα[ι]ανοῦ, Θώθ ια | ———————— | κεφά[λ]αιον ἐγ (ἐκ) διατ[άγμ]ατος Γα[ί]ου Οὐϊβίου Μαξίμ(ου) | ἐπάρχου Αἰγύπτου. καὶ ἐκ τούτων δὲ τῶν ὑπο||γε[γ]ραμμένων εἰδῶν λιτουργήσουσιν (λειτουργήσουσιν) οἱ ἰ(ϊδιωτικην)διωτικὴν | γῆν κεκτημένοι πλὴν ἢ μείζονα ταλάντου πόρον | ἔχ̣οντες, ὅπερ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς μὴ δομοσίας (δημοσίας) ἀπογραφῆς | ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῆς ἀληθοῦς αὐτῶν ὑποστάσεως ἐξετασθῇ [ -ca.?- ] | οἱ μέντοι [ἱ]ερεῖς ἀχθήσ[ονται μ]όνον ἐὰν ἰ(ϊδιωτ[ικην])διωτ[ικὴν] || γῆν γεωργῶσι. | εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ ἀπ[ολ]υόμενοι δημο[σίων -ca.?- ] | ἱ(ϊερεισ)ερεῖς λογίμων ἱ(ϊερων)ερῶν οι τ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣[ -ca.?- ] ̣αδ̣[ -ca.?- ] | μ̣οι κτηνοτρόφοι οι τ̣η̣[ -ca.?- ] | ὑπερετεῖς ἐπισινεῖς ἐπικριθέντε[ς -ca.?- ] || ἰατροὶ α[ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣εις αυ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣]αι φυλα[ -ca.?- ] | πῶλα[ι -ca.?- ]αμεῖς [ἐλ]αιουργοὶ [ -ca.?- ] | γν[α]φεῖ[ς -ca.?- ] τέκτονες [ -ca.?- ] | χρυσο[χόοι] καὶ εἴ τινες ὀνομασ[ -ca.?- ] | [ -ca.?- ] ̣ετο χει[ρω]νάξιον [ -ca.?- ] | ———————— || ἔτ̣[ο]υ̣ς̣ [ -ca.?- ] | τ̣[ -ca.?- ] | ̣[ -ca.?- ].

Item added: April 30, 2020
Item modified: April 30, 2020
ID number: 31378
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=31378

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