Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Letters Concerning Asklepiades and a Corporate Body of Cretan Soldiers (145 BCE) Tebtynis - Fayum region


Tebtynis (Fayum region, Egypt — Pleiades map), 145 BCE
PTebt I 32 = Papyri.info TM 45139 = AGRW ID# 20345
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1335


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Three papyri from crocodile cartonnage at Tebtynis (23.6).

Aristippos to Eumelos, greetings.  Attached you will find a copy of the letter written to me by Pankrates, who was responsible for the arrangement of the cavalry of colonizers (catoecic cavalry).  For this reason, try not to trouble Asklepiades concerning the duties of inspector. Farewell. The 36th year, on the xth of Payni ..

Pankrates to Aristippos, greetings. We have attached a copy of the letter we wrote to . . . Name the royal scribe (grammateus) for your information. The 36th year,  on the xth of Phamenoth . . .

. . . Name to Name, greetings.  Attached is a copy of a letter written to us by Sosos and Aigyptos, appointed by the corporate body (politeuma) . . . of the Cretans (?), concerning the affairs of Asklepiades, in order that you may know of his removal (advancement from the position of inspector as explained further below) . . . and that the orders may be followed.

Sosos and Aigyptos to Pankrates, greetings.  Since orders have been given through us that the cavalry of colonizers . . .  (most of the line is missing), Apollodoros, one of the first friends, overseer (epistatēs), and scribe (grammateus) of the cavalry of colonizers, has sent me–from the 500 men who have been permitted to form the corporate body of the Cretans–Asklepiades son of Ptolemaios, a Macedonian of the inspectors’ (ephodoi) division, because he has 24 arouras (an aroura was about 2735 metres squared) of land around Kerkeosiris in the Polemon division (i.e. with this 24 arouras of land he now presumably exceeded ownership of 100 arouras).  For this reason, appropriately complete the registration, also receiving him (Asklepiades) into the office of the commander of the fifth cavalry of those who hold 100 arouras of land and reporting this to Apollodoros.  Furthermore, we have attached a physical description of him and the name of his son.

He is about 22 years old, short, fair, curly-haired. . . (several words missing). . . his son is Ptolemaios, aged 5 months . . .

Eumelos.

Translation by: Harland



Ἀρίστιππος Εὐμήλωι χα[ί]ρειν. τῆς παρὰ Π[α]γκράτ[ους τοῦ πρὸς τῆι] | συντάξει τῶν κατοίκων ἱππέων γεγραμμένης ἡμῖν [ἐπισ]τ̣[ο]λῆς | [ὑπό]κειταί σοι τ[ὸ] ἀντίγραφ[ον. στόχασαι οὖν ὅπως μ]ὴ̣ παρεν[ο]χλήσ̣[ῃς] | [τὸν Ἀσ]κληπιάδην εἰς τὰς ἐφοδικὰς λειτουργίας. ἔρρωσο. (ἔτους [λ]ϛ̣ Παῦνι [ ̣ ̣] || [Παγ]κράτης Ἀριστίππωι χαίρειν. ἧς γε[γράφ]αμ[ε]ν ἐπιστολῆς | [ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ι τῶ[ι βα]σ̣ιλικ̣ῶι γ̣ραμ̣μ̣[α]τεῖ τὸ ἀντίγραφ[ο]ν ὑ̣πο[τετά]χ̣α̣[μεν] | [ὅπως εἰ]δῆι̣ς. (ἔτους) λϛ Φαμενὼθ ̣ ̣ | [ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ι.] τῆς παρὰ Σώσου κ[αὶ] Α̣[ἰ]γ[ύπ]του τῶν δ̣ ̣[ ̣] ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ν̣ | [- ca.9 - προ]χειρισθέντων ὑπὸ τ[ο]ῦ̣ πολιτε̣ύ̣ματ[ος τῶν Κρητῶν] || [γεγραμμένης] ἡμῖν ἐπιστολῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν τ̣[ῶι] Ἀ̣σ̣κ[ληπιάδηι ἀνηκόντων] | [ἀντίγραφον ὑ]πόκειται [ὅ]πως εἰδῆι̣ς μετακείμεν̣ο̣ν̣ α̣ὐ[τὸ]ν̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣] | [καὶ γένηται ἀ]κολούθως τοῖς προστεταγμένοις. | [Σῶσος] καὶ Α̣[ἴ]γ̣υπτος Παγκρά̣τει χαίρειν. ἐπε[ὶ] προ̣[στέτα]κ̣ται διʼ ἡμῶν | [τοὺς] κατοίκους ἱππεῖς ἐφο̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]τ̣ω̣ν̣[ ̣ ̣]α̣φ[- ca.17 -] || [ἐπ]έσταλκέ μοι Ἀπολλόδωρος [τῶ]ν πρώτ[ω]ν φίλων̣ [ὁ ἐ]πι[στ]ά̣της̣ | [καὶ] γραμματεὺς τῶν κατοίκων ἱππέων ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπικεχωρημένω[ν] | τῶι πολιτεύματι τῶν Κρητῶν ἀνδρῶν φ Ἀσκληπιάδην | Πτολεμαίου Μακεδόνα τῶν κατὰ μερίδα ἐφόδων ἐφʼ ὧι ἔχει κλῆ[ρον] | περὶ Κερκεοσῖριν [τῆς] Πολέμωνος μερίδος (ἀρουρῶν) κδ. καλῶς οὖν ποησε || καταχωρίσας καὶ [λαβὼ]ν αὐτὸν ἐν τῆι πέμπτηι ἱπ(παρχίαι) τῶν (ἑκατονταρούρων) καὶ τῶ[ι] | Ἀπολλοδώρωι προ[σανε]νέ[γ]κας. ὑποτετάχ̣[α]μ̣εν δὲ κα[ὶ] τὴν εἰκόνα αὐ[τοῦ] | καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τὸ ὄνομα. | —— | ἔστιν δὲ ὡς (ἐτῶν) κβ βραχὺς μελίχρ(ως) κλαστὸς [- ca.20 -] | υἱὸς Πτολεμαῖος μηνῶν πέντε [ -ca.?- ] | vac. | Εὐμήλωι.

Item added: December 13, 2015
Item modified: May 26, 2021
ID number: 20345
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=20345

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