Advanced Papyrological Information System, UM

P.Mich.inv. 147; Recto

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Description

Inventory Number
P.Mich.inv. 147
Processing Number
1449
Section/Side
Recto
Image Side
Recto

Background and Physical Properties

Publ./Side
Recto; Verso is blank
Material
Pap
Size
24.5 x 32 cm
Items
1
Lines
25
Mounted
No
Negative
No
Conservation Status
Slightly damaged along the vertical folds and on the left side
Palaeographic Description
1st hand: a large upright official script; 2nd hand: also upright, much smaller but carefully written; 3rd hand: large and somewhat sloping; 4th hand: large and sloping, but more cursive and quite distinct from the 3rd in individual letter forms
Status
published
Library
Ann Arbor

Contents

Date
145 - 147 A.D.
Origin
Unknown place, Themistou or Polemonos meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Provenance
Unknown place, Themistou or Polemonos meris, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt
Acquisition
purchased in Egypt by B.P. Grenfell and F.W. Kelsey in March-April 1920
Language
Greek
Genre
Documentary
Author
Ptolemaios son of Diodoros alias Dioskoros
Type of Text/Title of Work
Petition to the Prefect
Content
Petition addressed to Lucius Valerius Proculus, prefect of Egypt, by Ptolemaios, son of Diodoros, a tenant on the imperial estates in the Arsinoite nome, who complains that Isidoros, one of the sailors-divers attached to the irrigation service in the nome, has, through an agent named Ammonios, driven him from his leasehold, excluded him from his house, and done him violence until money was extorted from him. The endorsement by the prefect (3rd hand) shows that his request of a hearing of the case in front of the strategos of the name was granted.
Subject Headings
Petition, Right of--Egypt.
Theft--Egypt.
Extortion--Egypt.
Land tenure--Corrupt practices--Egypt.
Land value taxation--Egypt.
Unjust enrichment--Egypt.
Waterworks--Employees--Egypt.
Poll tax--Egypt.
Violence--Egypt.
Land value taxation--Egypt.
Service, Compulsory non-military--Egypt.
Police--Egypt.
Crown lands--Egypt.
Divers--Egypt.
Suretyship and guaranty--Egypt.
Rome--Officials and employees--Egypt.
Justice, Administration of--Egypt.
Privileges and immunities--Egypt.
Leases--Egypt.
Counterfeiters--Egypt.
Persons
Lucius Valerius Proclus, prefect of Egypt;
Ptolemaios son of Diodoros alias Dioskoros;
(unnamed) aigialophylakes;
(unnamed) katasporeis;
Isidoros son of Mareis, nautokolymbetes;
Ammonios alias Kaboi
Geographica
Aigyptos; Arsinoite nome, Themistou kai Polemonos merides
Translation
To Lucius Valerius Proculus, prefect of Egypt.
From Ptolemaios, son of Diodoros, also called Dioskoros, an inhabitant of the Arsinoite nome.
Since your inbred kindness, my lord prefect, extends to all, I too ask to share it. There is in the nome a certain class of men who are called sailor-divers. These, being public officers and in the service of the water administration and in attendance on the shore-guards and cultivation inspectors for the time being, are therefore relieved of all head-taxes and all public services and are also fed at the public expense; and accordingly they are absolutely forbidden to take up any other employment. One of these, a certain Isidoros, son of Mareis, a man of very bold and reckless character who, by means of suborned agents, counterfeits royal leases for the sake of extortion and gain - as I shall prove also on the day of trial - made an attack on me through one of his suborned agents, a certain Ammonios, surnamed Kaboi, a culpable fellow who had been proscribed on account of his lawless life. Notwithstanding that I am a lessee of domain land who pay considerable revenues to the imperial treasury and offered considerable security for the lease, he refused to let me enjoy my lease and even excluded me from my house and insulted me until he extorted money from me. I have therefore had recourse to you, the helper of all, and beg you, since you have for the present renounced your visit to the nome, to give orders for a letter to be written to the strategos of the division of Themistes and Polemon to hear me against him, since I can bring proofs on the spot concerning my being insulted and subjected to extortion, so that I may be able to live unmolested in my home during the most happy times of our exalted emperor, and your delightful prefecture, and may obtain relief. Farewell.
(2nd hand) I, Ptolemaios, son of Diodoros, have presented the petition, as aforesaid.
(3rd hand) The strategos of the nome will do what is proper.
(4th hand) Return it.

Information on Publications

Publications
Series and Volume Editor Year Pg/Nr Photo SB Preferred Citation Corrections
PMich III Boak AER 1936 174 Boak AER, PMich III, 174, 1936

Information on Publications--Bibliography

Bibliography
G. Foti Talamanca, Ricerche sul processo nell'Egitto greco-romano I (Milano, 1974)p. 148-151 (see also p. 216, and vol. II [1979], p. 325); R. Haensch, Akten des 21. Internationalen Papyrologenkongresses. Berlin, 13.-19.8.1995 (Stuttgart - Leipzig, 1997) p. 362, n. 158

Information on Publications--Notes

Notes
shelf III, 4

Availability/System Requirements

Time to Scan
25
Scanner Initials
CT
Date Scanned
6/18/1996
Institution
sr

Cataloging

Cataloger
PH
Year Begin
145
Year End
147
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