Pergamon (Mysia and the Troad, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 74 CE / 93-94 CE
Rudolf Herzog, "Urkunden zur Hochschulpolitik der römischen Kaiser," Sitzungsberichte der Preußischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Klasse 32 (1935) 965–1019
= McCrum and Woodhead, no. 458 (Greek and Latin)
= GCRE 38 (Oliver; Greek with Eng. trans.) / AE (1936), no. 128 (Latin)
= AGRW ID# 24691
(Vespasian’s letter, in Greek)
(Lost opening with titles of Vespasian) . . . of physicians (iatroi) and medical assistants (iatraliptai), if . . . the care (?) . . . of our bodies has been . . . assigned solely to the Asclepiads (Asklepiadai) (?) . . . as they were proclaimed holy and equivalent to gods, I command that they neither be required to supply lodging (for soldiers), nor in any way be asked to contribute taxes.
. . . If anyone under (?) . . . my rule . . . dares (?) . . . to mistreat, to seize as security, . . . or to carry away any (?) . . . of the physicians, instructors (paideutai), or medical assistants, let those who have mistreated them pay a fine of . . . 10,000 denarii (?) . . . to Zeus Capitolinus. Whoever does not have that amount, let his property be sold and the fine–whatever arrangement the prefect has imposed regarding these matters–be . . . dedicated (?) . . . to the . . . god (?) . . . immediately. Likewise if they . . . discover him escaping (?) . . ., let them bring him wherever they choose and let them not be hindered by anyone. Furthermore, let it be permitted for them . . . to gather (?) . . . for meetings (synodoi) in the sanctuaries (temenes), holy places (hiera), and . . . temples (naoi) (?) . . .–wherever they may choose–and be considered safe from violence. Now whoever . . . forces them out (?) . . . will be liable to the Roman People . . . on a charge of impiety (?) . . . towards the household of the Augusti.
I, . . . emperor Caesar (?) . . .Vespasian, have signed this and commanded . . . that it be displayed (?) . . . on a whitened notice-board. It was displayed in the sixth year in the month of . . . Loos on the Capitol (?) . . . on the 27th of December.
(Domitian’s letter, in Latin)
Emperor Caesar Domitian, holding the tribunician power for the thirteenth time, . . . proclaimed emperor for the twenty-second time, perpetual censor, father of the fatherland, (?) . . . to Aulus Licinius Mucianus and Gavius Priscus.
I have decided . . . to impose the most strict control (?) . . . on the greed of the physicians (medici) and the instructors (praeceptores), whose art, which should be transmitted to certain freeborn youths, is sold in the worst way to many household slaves instructed and sent out, not for the benefit of humanity but for profit. . . . Therefore, whoever takes (?). . . profit . . . from the instruction of slaves is to be deprived of that exemption granted by my deified father, (?). . . just as . . . if that person were exercising his art in a foreign city (?) . . .
Translation by: Harland(Latin beginning at line 21)
[Imp. Caesar Domitia]nus tribuniciae potestatis XIII | [imp. XXII. cens. perp. p. p]. A. Licinio Muciano et Gavio Prisco: | [Avaritiam medicorum atque] praeceptorum quorum ars, | [tradenda ingenuis adulesc]entibus quibusdam, multis || [in disciplinam cubiculariis] servis missis inprobissime | [venditur non humanitatis, sed aug]endae mercedis gratia, | [severissime coercendam] iudicavi. | [Quisquis ergo ex servorum disciplin]a mercedem [capiet,] | [ei immunitas a divo patre meo indulta], proinde ac [si] || [in aliena civitate artem exerceat, adim]enda [est.]
Item added: March 4, 2017
Item modified: March 17, 2017
ID number: 24691
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=24691