P.Corn. Inv. I 116 / Recto

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Record Details

Inventory Number
P.Corn. Inv. I 116
Processing Number
1205
Section/Side
Recto
Image Side
Recto

Background and Physical Properties

Publ./Side
Recto; Verso is blank
Material
Pap
Size
c. 250 cm x c. 26 cm (roll)
Items
one roll boken off in many fragments.
Lines
col. I: 1-25; col. II: 26-44; col. III: 45-62; col. IV: 63-81; col. V: 82-101; col. VI: 102-124; col. VII: 125-144; col. VIII: 145-166; col. IX: 167-186; col. X: 187-209; col. XI: 210-229 [the numbers refer to the continous lines of the edition]
Mounted
Yes
Negative
No
Conservation Status
The roll is badly carbonized and friable. The ed. princ. presented 11 columns. But what is preserved now is not always what the ed. princ. read. Some parts of the columns were totally lost or destroyed. And some other fragments (not trascribed in the ed. princ.) were found and located (by NL; see below for one of them) prooving the ed. princ. supplements. Now the papyri have been put between glass on top of Japanese paper (since there is no writing on the back). Under the same no (P.Corn. inv. I 116) there are three more folders with many written fragments of various sizes, but they do not belong to the same roll. They are accounts or documents mentioning "logos", "praepositus", "wheat", "knidia", "elaion", "geouchos", "kamelo[ ]". And in one I could read "Philadelph[ ]". These are re-named as "P.Cornell inv. I 116B"
Status
published
Library
Ann Arbor

Contents

Date
September 23, 302 A.D.
Origin
Arsinoe, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Provenance
Arsinoe, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Acquisition
In 1921 through the agency of the British Museum for Cornell University; handed over to the University of Michigan in 1972.
Language
Greek
Genre
Documentary
Author
Aurelios Aunes, son of Polion;
Type of Text/Title of Work
Declaration of Land for the Census of 302 A. D.
Content
The document contains eleven declarations of land for the census of the year 302 A.D. All are of the same day (Thoth 26), this being the date preserved in five of the eleven columns, with a portion of the date in other columns. The eleven declarations are from Karanis, Arsinoe and Ptolemais Nea, but the plots declared are without exception about the village of Ptolemais Nea. The head of the census is the same Septimius Sabinus who had charge of the work in that none five years earlier (see P.Corn. 19 = P.Corn. inv. no II 30).
The census was instituted in accordance with an imperial decree which was sent abroad over Egypt by order of the catholicos, at that time being Valerius Euethius. The first step was a declaration made by landowners and landholders to the censitor of all the taxable land held by them. In our document the primary declaration had been made a short time before, as appears from the phrase "apo tes apographeises up' emou proen epi Sabeino kensitori". The next move was taken by the goverment officials. The land reported as "chersos" or "adespotos" was checked over by the bureau of the landmeasurer ("anametretes"). In our document this occured in the month Thoth at the height of the flood season. The investigation was designed to determine what amount of the land reported by individuals as "dry" or "ownerless" should actually be classified as seed land ("en spora" or "sporime ge"). The peasant landowner or landlord was held responsible both for correct measurement and for declaration of the gain of the goverment resulting from the substitution of "seed land" for the "dry" and "tenantless" amounts primarily reported.
It is at this point that the action and report envisaged in the present Cornell papyrus. Accompanied by three recognised surveyros ("geometrai"), the peasant owner or tenant had measured the "chersos" and "adespotos" portions of his plots which the goverment had designated as probably transferable to the classification of "basilike ge sporime". Note that in all these cases the landmeasurer had meantime "found" that the land was seed land. Three village officials accompanied the peasant owner or tenant and the three surveyors. These were the boundary official ("oriodeiktes"), the village headman ("meizon tes komes") and the village chief ("komarches"). Upon agreement reached by them the tenant declared under imperial oath the amount of his land which was to be transferred from the classification of ownerless goverment land to the higher production category of "royal seedd land" (with higher rate of rent) or from the category of private dry land to that of private seed land (with corresponding increase in the land tax).
Egypt had been the scene of serious disturbance during the suppression of the revolt of L.Domitius Domitianus (Achilleus) in A.D. 295-296 A.D. In A.D. 302 the situation was so acute that Diocletian diverted a part of the grain which normally went to Rome for the relief of Alexandria. For the census of the year 302 special inducements must have been offred to the peasants to take abandoned goverment land. The nature of these inducements we cannot know. Their results, hoever, are apparent in this census roll.
Persons
Diocletian;
Maximian;
Constantius;
Valerius Euethius , catholikos;
Aurelios Alexandros, anametretes of toparchy 4th and 5th, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, Egypt;
Sabinos, censitor, anametretes of toparchy Peri polin Ano, Hermopolite nome, Egypt;
Hierax,censitor, anametretes of toparchy Peri polin Ano, Hermopolite nome, Egypt;
Aurelios Aunes, son of Polion;
Heron, surveyor;
Anaios (or Aneos), surveyor;
Apollonios, surveyor;
Abous, boundary official;
Aas, son of Aboukis, headman of the village;
Olkanol, village chief;
Patermouthis;
Achillas, boundary commissioner;
Aurelios Kopres, son of Euporos;
Anas;
Aurelios Mysthes, son of Zosimos
Geographica
Ptolemais Nea, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt;
Karanis, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Arsinoe, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt;
Boubastis amphodon, Arsinoite nome;
Chenoboskion Proton, amphodon, Arsinoite nome;
Moeris, amphodon, Arsinoite nome;
Hiera Pyle, amphodon, Arsinoite nome
Translation
The translation is based on the edition's text (and not on what is actually preserved now) (NL)
Col. I
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Aunes, son of Polion, from the village of Karanis of the same nome.
I declare in your presence, in accordance with an order of the most eminent catholikos Valerius Euethius following an imperial edict, the land which was found by you to be seed land, out of that recently declared by me to Sabinos, census taker, as my own private dry land and as ownerless land about the village of Ptolemais Nea of the above mentioned toparchy, and of which I have taken the measurements, the surveyors Heron and Annaeus and Apollonios having measured it in the presence of Abous, boundary official, and Aas son of Aboukis, headman of the village, and Olkanol village chief, as stated below:
9th section, royal seed land, from ownerless, four arouras: 4 ar.
Same section, royal seed land held in common with Patermouthis and worked on shares, from ownerless, six and seven-eighths arourae: 6 7/8 ar.
Same section, private seed land, one and twenty-three thirty-seconds arourae: 1 23/32 ar.
13th section, royal seed land held in common with Achillas, boundary commissioner, and worked on shares, from ownerless, two and seven sixty-fourths arourae: 2 7/64 ar.
And I swear by the fortune and victory of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, Augusti, and of Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, that I have made a true declaration.
Year 19 and 18 and 11 of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, Most August, and of Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars. Thoth 26.
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: 16 63/64 arourae
of private seed land: 1 23/32 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Aunes, son of Polion, have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.
I swore the imperial oath. I, Aurelios Kopres, son of Euporos, wrote for him, he being illiterate.
(3rd hand) I, Aurelios Heron, surveyor, measured the arourae appearing above.
(4th hand) I, Aurelios Anaios, surveyor, helped in the measuring
(5th hand) I, Aurelios Apollonios, surveyor, helped in the measuring
(6th hand) I, Aurelios Abous, boundary official, pointed out the arourae set forth above and have omitted nothing. And we, Aas and Olkanol village chief, were present at the measuring. I, the scribe Anas, wrote for them, they being illiterate.
Col. II
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Mysthes, son of Zosimos, from the amphodon of Boubastis of the Arsinoite nome.
I declare in your presence, in accordance with an order of the most eminent catholikos Valerius Euethius following an imperial edict, the land which was found by you to be seed land, out of that recently declared by me to Sabinos, census taker, as my own private dry land and as ownerless land about the village of Ptolemais Nea of the above mentioned toparchy, and of which I have taken the measurements, the surveyors Heron and Annaeos and Apollonios having measured it in the presence of Abous, boundary official, and Aas son of Aboikis, headman of the village, and Olkanol village chief, as stated below:
9th section, royal seed land, from ownerless, one half one-sixteenth arouras: 1 1/2 1/16 ar.
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: 1 1/2 1/16 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Mysthes have declared the above mentioned arourae one half one-sixteenth and have taken the measurements. I swore the imperial oath.
Col. III
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Anteinoos alias Sakaon, public physician, of the city of Arsinoites.
I declare in your presence, in accordance with an order of the most eminent catholikos Valerius Euethius following an imperial edict, the land which was found by you to be seed land, out of that recently declared by me to Sabinos, census taker, as my own private dry land and as ownerless land about the village of Ptolemais Nea of the above mentioned toparchy, and of which I have taken the measurements, the surveyors Heron and Apollonios having measured it in the presence of Abous, boundary official, and Aas son of Aboikis, headman of the village, and Olkanol village chief, as stated below:
9th section, private seed land, two one-eighth one sixteenth arourae: 1 1/8 1/16 ar. And I swear by the fortune and victory of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, Augusti, and of Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, that I have made a true declaration.Year 19 and 18 and 11 of our lords Diocletian and Maximian, Most August, and of Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars. Thoth 26. Total of private seed land: 1 1/8 1/16 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Antinoos alias Sakaon, have declared the above mentioned two one-eighth one sixteenth arourae and have taken the measurements. I swore the imperial oath.
(6th hand) I, Aurelios Abous, boundary official, pointed out the arourae set forth above and have omitted nothing. And we, Aas and Olkanol village chief, were present at the measuring. I, the scribe Aunas, wrote for them, they being illiterate.
Col IV
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aureliae Sychiaina, the wife of me, Eniochos,and Euporous, her sister, both daugthers of Maroninos from the amphodon of Chenoboskion Proton of the Arsinoite.
13th section, private seed land held in common with Achillas, boundary commissioner, and worked on shares, five and one sixteenth: 5 1/16 ar.
Total of private seed land, from ownerless: 5 1/16 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aureliai Souchiaina and Euporous, have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.
I swore the imperial oath. I, Aurelios Kopres, son of Euporos, wrote for them, they being illiterate.
Col. V
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Patermouthis son of Dioskoros and Atia, from the village of Karanis of the same nome.
9th section, royal seed land, from ownerless, held in common with Aunes, son of Polion and worked on shares, from ownerless, six arouras: 6 ar.
Same section, royal seed land, from ownerless, one half arourae: 1 1/2 ar.
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: 7 1/2 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Patermouthis, son of Dioskoros, have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.
Col. VI
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Ekysis, [son of NN, from ...].
9th section, royal seed land, from ownerless, [x ...]one-sixteenthfourth arouras: [x ...] 1/64 ar.
Same section, private seed land arourae ....
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: x arourae
of private seed land: [x ...]1/642 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Ekysis, son of Ph[...], have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.
Col. VII
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelia [daughter of NN], granddaughter of Simon, from the village of Ptolemais Nea of the same nome.
[.]section, private seed land, one and one-sixteenth: 1 1/16 ar.
of private seed land: 1 1/16 arourae
Co. VIII
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Ape[..., son of NN], from the amphodon of the Arsinoite.
5th section, [private seed land], held in common, half one-fourth one-eighth one-sixteenfourth arouras: 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/64 ar.
14th section, royal seed land held in common with [NN], from ownerless, x ar: x ar.
of private seed land: 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/64 arourae
Col. IX
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Esouris, Stratiotes, and NN, the three from the village of Ptolemais Nea of the same nome.
[.] section, royal seed land, from ownerless, x arouras: x ar.
Total of [: x arourae]
(2nd hand). NN] have declared [the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.I swore the] imperial oath.
(3th hand) I, Aurelios Apollonios, surveyor, helped in the measuring
(4th hand) I, the scribe Anas, wrote for them, they being illiterate.
Col. X
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios [NN] from the village of Ptolemais Nea of the same nome.
[.] section, royal seed land, from ownerless, half one-fourth one-eighth one-thirtysecond arouras: 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/32 ar.
Same section, private seed land held in common with NN, from ownerless x arourae: x ar.
Same section, royal seed land, one one-eighth one-sixteenth arourae: 1 1/8 1/16 ar.
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: 1 1/2 1/16 1/32 arourae
of private seed land: x arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios [NN], have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.
Col. XI
In the fourth consulship of our lords Constantius and Maximian, most renowned Caesars, to Aurelios Alexander, ex-official, ex-prytanis of the glorious city of Thmouites, measurer of the Arsinoite nome, toparchy fourth and fifth, of the Herakleides division, from Aurelios Appianos, son of Horion, from the amphodon of Hiera Pyle of the Arsinoite.
14th section, royal seed land, held in common withAtepsenes from ownerless, one one-thirtysecond arouras: 1 1/32 ar.
Total of royal seed land, from ownerless: 1 1/32 arourae
(2nd hand). I, Aurelios Aunes, son of Polion, have declared the above mentioned arourae and have taken the measurements.

Information on Publications

Publications
Series and Volume Editor Year Pg/Nr Photo SB Preferred Citation Corrections
PCorn Westermann WL - Kraemer CJ 1926 20 Pl pp114-5 Westermann WL - Kraemer CJ, PCorn, 20, 1926, Pl pp114-5 -- Col. VI: ll. 104-108 one more fragment was joined on the right of the ed. princ. text and proves ed. princ. readings (NL) Col. VI: ll. 104-108 one more fragment was joined on the right of the ed. princ. text and proves ed. princ. readings (NL)

Cataloging

Cataloger
NL
Year Begin
302
Year End
302

Technical Details

Record
1205
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-1205/c1_1164.tif

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"P.Corn. Inv. I 116; Recto." In the digital collection Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS UM). https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-1205/c1_1164.tif. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 10, 2024.
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