Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Court Records Regarding Taxation of Fullers and Dyers (161-169 CE) Tebtynis - Fayum region


Tebtynis (Fayum region, Egypt — Pleiades map), 161-169 CE
GRA III 236 = PTebt II 287 = Papyri.info TM 13450 = AGRW ID# 31456
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1961


bibliography            

Papyrus (20.8 x 25.2 cm) now at the Bancroft Library in Berkeley (PTebt 287).

. . . in the xth year of Antoninus and Verus the Lords Augusti, the fullers (gnapheis) and dyers (bapheis) from the Arsinoite district (nome), having been summoned and having appeared.

Longinus, the advocate, said: “Of these men, some are fullers and other dyers by trade. For the tax on trades 192 drachmas are paid yearly by the fullers and 288 by the dyers according to tariff and custom.  After a certain Maximus was appointed inspector (exetastēs) and wrongly entered a larger sum against them than was due, they appealed to the prefect (hēgemōn), who referred them to his excellency Crassus, the procurator (dioikētēs).  The latter summoned the accountant (eklogistēs) of the district and ordered him to verify the accounts of the last twenty years.  When he reported that no more had been paid than was sanctioned by the tariff, he decided that they should pay on this scale, and they have done so up to the present time.  A certain supervisor (epitērētēs) of the tax upon trades has now been appointed, who wishes to demand from them a larger amount than that of the tariff, and they therefore petitioned the commander (stratēgos), adding a statement . . . .  But as nothing was done by the commander they were obliged to appeal to you.”

Protarchos, the advocate, said: “. . . in accordance with the decision . . . a report on the subject was laid before his excellency, Liberalis, who made an endorsement that they should not be required to pay.”

Severianus said: “When the accountant is present, who also ordered . . . the accountant. . .

(second hand) I read it.

(first hand)  . . . of the dyers and fullers from Arsinoites, once Hermias the accountant of Arsinoites was present.

Longinus, the advocate, said, “Yesterday, the men pleading their case met you . . . concerning what was incorrectly demanded of them by the superintendent of the tax upon trades and for . . . brought to his excellency, Liberalis.  A memorandum was made not to demand any more from them . . . the exact instruction.  We beg, therefore, the one here . . .  Once Hermias read out the policy brought to Liberalis, Severianos said “. . . of the superintendent, to his excellency the chief-commander (epistratēgos). . .

(second hand) I read it.

Translation by: Mark Mueller (with modifications)



[- ca.60 - ἔτους] Ἀντωνίνου καὶ Οὐήρου τῶν | [κυρίων Σεβαστῶν - ca.31 -]νυ̣ν̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ἀπὸ] τοῦ Ἀρ[σινοίτ]ου καὶ προσελθόντων Λονγεῖ|[νος ῥήτωρ εἶπεν· - ca.23 - οἱ μὲ]ν̣ ε̣ἰ̣[σὶ] γναφεῖς ο[ἱ δὲ] βαφεῖς τ̣ὴ̣ν̣ ἐργασίαν, δίδονται δὲ ὑπὲρ τέλους | [- ca.13 -] χειρω[να]ξ[ίου ὑπὸ μὲν τῶ]ν̣ γναφέων ἐτήσιαι δραχμαὶ χείλιαι (χίλιαι) ἐνενήκοντα δύο ὑ(ϋπο)πὸ δὲ τῶν βαφέων || [διακόσιαι ὀγ]δοήκοντα ὀκτὼ κατὰ τὸν [γν]ώμονα καὶ τὴν συνήθειαν. Μαξίμου δέ τινος κατασταθέντος ἐξεταστοῦ | [ἐν πλέονι αὐ]τοὺς ἢ (ἡ) ἔδει παραγράψαντος ἐνέτυχον τῷ ἡγεμόνι καὶ ἀνέπεμψεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ Κράσσον τὸν κράτιστον | [διοικητ]ή̣ν̣ ([ἐπιστράτηγ]ο̣ν̣), ὃς μεταπεμψάμενος τὸν τοῦ νομοῦ ἐγλο[γ]ιστὴν ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν εἰκοσα̣ε̣τ̣[ί]αν τὴν ὑπὸ χεῖρα | [ἐπισκέψασθαι,] προσφωνήσαντός τε αὐτοῦ μηδὲν πλέον δεδόσθαι τοῦ κατὰ τὸν γνώμονα κατὰ ταῦτα ἠθέλ̣ησεν αὐ|[τοὺς τὴν ἀ]πόδοσιν ποιήσασθαι καὶ οὕτως μέχρι τούτου ἀπέδοσαν. ἐπεὶ οὖν νῦν κατ[α]σταθείς τις ἐπιτηρητὴς || [τέλους χειρωναξίο(?)]υ̣ βούλετα[ι π]λέον ἢ κατὰ τὸν γνώμονα αὐτοὺς ἀπαιτεῖν ἐνέτ[υ]χον τῷ στρατηγῷ π[α]ρατιθέμενοι | [- ca.11 - καὶ ἐπε]ὶ̣ μηδὲν ὑ(ϋπο)πὸ τοῦ [στρατη]γοῦ ἐπ̣[οιή]θ̣η̣ ἐδέησεν αὐτοὺς ἐντυχεῖν σοι. Πρώταρχος ῥή|[τωρ εἶπεν· ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ κα]τὰ τὰ δόξαντα Κρ̣[άσσῳ - ca.9 -]τ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ἐ]ξετάσεως ἤχθη περὶ τούτου εἶδος τῷ κρα|[τίστῳ Λιβερ]ά̣λι καὶ ὑπέγραψεν μὴ ἀπ̣[αιτεῖν. Σευηρ]ι̣α̣νὸς εἶπεν· παρόντος τοῦ ἐγλογιστοῦ ὃ̣[ς] κ̣αὶ ἐντευξε|[- ca.14 -]ν τὸν ὲγλογιστὴ[ν ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ {hand 2} ἀνέ]γνων. || [(hand 1) - ca.18 -] ̣[ ̣] ̣ ̣ ̣των̣ [ ̣ ̣]ξ[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ βαφέω]ν καὶ γναφέων ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀρσινοείτου παρόντος Ἑρμί|[ου τοῦ ἐγλογιστοῦ τοῦ Ἀρσι]νοείτου [Λονγεῖνος ῥήτ]ωρ εἶπεν· ἐχθὲς ἐν[έτ]υχόν σ̣[οι] οἱ συνηγορούμενοι | [- ca.12 - περὶ ὧν ο]ὐ̣ δ[ε]όντως ἀπα[ιτοῦνται ὑπὸ ἐ]πιτηρητοῦ ἀσχολήματος χειρ̣ωναξίου καὶ ἐπὶ ε|[- ca.15 - ἦ]χθαι τῷ [κρ]α̣[τ]ί̣σ̣τ̣[ῳ Λιβεράλι καὶ ὑπογεγ]ράφθαι περὶ π[λ]έονος πρὸς αὐτοὺς μ̣ὴ̣ ζητεῖσθαι | [- ca.27 -] ̣ ̣[- ca.15 -] τὸ ἀκρειβὲς (ἀκριβὲς) μάθῃς. δεόμεθα οὖ[ν] παρό[ν]τα αὐ||[τὸν (?)- ca.30 - Ἑρμίου ἀναγνόντ]ος τὸ ἀχθὲν εἶδος Λιβεράλι Σευηριανὸς [εἶ]πεν· | [- ca.17 -] ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣[ ̣] ̣[ ̣]τ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣] ̣υ̣ν[- ca.14 -]ος τοῦ ἐπιτηρητοῦ τῷ κρατίστῳ ἐπιστρ[α]τήγῳ. | [ -ca.?- ] {hand 2} ἀνέγνων.

Item added: July 10, 2020
Item modified: July 17, 2020
ID number: 31456
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=31456

Leave a Question, Comment or Correction

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*