Petition from Demas to Menches, the village scribe, complaining of a raid on his home by a band of marauders, headed by Pyrrhichus, son of Dionysios, and reporting which items were stolen on the occasion.
Translation: To Menches, komogrammateus of Kerkeosiris, from Demas son of Sentheus, cultivator of Crown land and assistant for the cultivators of the said village. On the 8th of Mesore in the 4th year while I was engaged with the said cultivators in the collection of the sums owing for the leases of the same year, Pyrrhichos son of Dionysios, one of the katoikoi hippeis, and Herakleios son of Poseidippos, an inhabitant of the said village, proceeded thither with many other persons armed with swords. They went to my house and throwing off all restraint knocked down the street door, and having gained an entrance they carried off the articles mentioned below, although there was no dispute whatever between me and them. I therefore present to you this statement in order that you may subscribe to my statements and further forward a copy of the petition to the proper officials, so that the accused having been produced I may recover my property and they may receive the punishment which they deserve. Farewell. Two doors of tamarisk-wood; a footstool a hoe 700 drachmas of copper; and a bronze …