Image
Details
Title
P.Tebt.0027 A, Official letter from Horos : to the topogrammateis and komogrammateis of the Arsinoite Nome
Published
27 Feb. 113 B.C.
Full Collection Name
Advanced Papyrological Information System
Other Identifiers
P.Tebt.0027 A
Subject (Person)
Hermias (epi ton prosodon); Asklepiades; Eirenaios (Dioiketes)
Subject (Topic)
Crops; Tax evasion
Geographic Coverage
Arsinoites nomos
Type
Image
Extent
Item/s: 1
3 cols. (83 lines) on recto along the fibers.
3 cols. (83 lines) on recto along the fibers.
Dimensions
30 x 86 cm.
Archive
The Bancroft Library Center for the Tebtunis Papyri
Note
Circular letter from the Horos, royal secretary, to the topogrammateis and komogrammateis (local and village secretaries) of the Arsinoite Nome (modern Fayyum, Egypt) containing copies of correspondence from the dioiketes (finance minister) Eirenaios and concerning crop management. The letter includes a long letter censuring a certain Hermias for carelessness in this regard.
UCInventory: 1897, 3011, and 3012
Ownership: Tebtunis
Bib Corrections: On line 21 see BL v. 1, p. 422; on line 27 see BL, v. 8, p. 489 (correcting BL v. 3, p. 240); on line 55 see BL v. 4, p. 97; on lines 60-64 see BL v. 7, p. 269.
Context: Menches archive
Holding Institution: Bancroft Library, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley
Section Side: Verso empty.
Transcription: doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.05.0008&query=document%3D%23312
Translation: (2nd hand) Received in the 4th year, Mecheir 10. (1st hand) Horos to the topogrammateis and komogrammateis, greeting. Appended is a copy of the letter from Eirenaios the king's cousin and dioiketes, concerning the persons to be made to undertake the custody of the crops. You will therefore send us the lists of individuals in your district who are conspicuous for honesty and steadiness and live in the neighborhood with a statement of the extent of their several holdings and other property, so that the other arrangements may be made in accordance with the instructions. Good-bye. The 4th year, Mecheir 10. Eirenaios to Horos, greeting. Appended is a copy of the letter to Asklepiades. Give him therefore a list of persons who can be made to undertake the custody of the crops, and apply due zeal to the end that the other requirements may be carried out in accordance with the directions, understanding that you too will be held responsible for any neglect in this matter. The 4th year, Peritios 23, Choiak 23. To Asklepiades. Appended is a copy of the letter to Hermias, the overseer of the revenues … Regarding therefore the same instructions as issued to yourself also, take care that persons of repute are appointed to the posts of oikonomos and archiphulakites; and that the protection of the crops be managed in the manner directed, and the collection of dues for the treasury take place more punctually, and so no debts be incurred. To Hermias, through (?) Harneltotes, who is in the office of Horos the basilikos grammateus. Having given me instructions for my letter to you, and having also specified what was written to Theodotos, the official discharging the duties of oikonomos and archiphulakites, in which it was stated to be necessary that the decani of the police in the villages should be summoned to a general meeting, and that declarations on oath by the sovereigns as suggested by him should be taken with the approval of Theodotos concerning the protection of the annual crops, he began to be much astonished that after the severest treatment at the inquiry instituted against you for not having provided at the proper time for the collection of green stuffs and the other second crops, nor for the custody of the produce, and for not even using men of repute for the offices of oikonomos and archiphulakites, but without exception evil and worthless persons, you still continue in the same miserable course with no improvement whatever in your improper procedure. But be sure that you are liable to accusation; and, before it is too late, believing that you will receive no pardon for any neglect, see that suitable persons are appointed to the aforesaid offices, and display unremitting zeal in what tends to increase the revenue; and procure from the komogrammateis a list of those who can be made to undertake the custody of the produce from those in the army and the other inhabitants of the district who are living in the neighborhood and are conspicuous for honesty and steadiness, and appoint those fit to the posts in the villages; take from them and the phulakitai in each village two declarations upon oath by the sovereigns that they will provide in the best possible manner for the guardianship; and will allow none of the cultivators of crown land or land en aphesei to touch the green stuffs and the other second crops except those intended for the fodder of the animals used in agriculture, which shall be supplied with the approval of the komogrammateis, and except amounts to be collected for which the prices and securities shall be paid and deposited at the banks to meet the dues to the treasury in accordance with the regulations previously issued; and will take care that all else is rightly done in the summer and will convey the produce to the appointed places, and let nothing go until the proclamation concerning the release of crops is published, and unless everything has been duly delivered and the demands for previous years paid up. Similar declarations are (secondly) to be made by you or those set in charge of … and from the basilikos grammateus, that those coming to receive the surplus produce are not in debt, and that there is no lien upon it for other charges or causes, and that care is being taken in order that all may pay the treasury dues as soon as possible; and (thirdly) by the holders of posts as archiphulakites, that they will take care that this is accomplished in the manner aforesaid. Then deposit one copy of the declarations at the royal bank, and send the other to us; and make it your aim that proclamations are published in the villages to the effect that no one shall let loose animals upon land sown with grass and similar produce, or shall touch the other second crops without giving security as set forth above, and that the animals of those who disobey shall be confiscated to meet the rents. Above all be vigilant that the collection of all revenues be carried out more punctually and that it may not again occur to you to be involved in similar difficulties. In general consider how great an impulse attention to the matters indicated gives to business, and deem it an essential that there should be no lapse in anything that is expedient, and that by the continual invention of further improvements everything should proceed according to the method prescribed by us. For we will not accept as an excuse either force or anything else whatever, and any losses will be rigorously exacted from you. Whichever day you receive this letter, give notice of the fact.
Script Style: Two different hands, both regular cursives: 1, body of letter (lines 2-83); 2, notice of receipt (line 1).
Mounted: glass
Material: Pap
Margins: Margins: top, 3.8 cm.; left, 4.3 cm.; bottom, 3.6 cm.
Place: Ptolemais Euergetis?
Publication Status: published
Publisher: P.Tebt., I.27, Cols. I-III; Chrest. Wilck., no. 331.
Revision History: Marc rcd 02/20/1998 gk; rev 3/20/1998 pjr; checked pap. 7/11/2000 av.
Textual Date: 4th year of King Ptolemy IX Soter II, 10th of the Egyptian month Mecheir.
Primary Publication: P.Tebt.:1:27
UCInventory: 1897, 3011, and 3012
Ownership: Tebtunis
Bib Corrections: On line 21 see BL v. 1, p. 422; on line 27 see BL, v. 8, p. 489 (correcting BL v. 3, p. 240); on line 55 see BL v. 4, p. 97; on lines 60-64 see BL v. 7, p. 269.
Context: Menches archive
Holding Institution: Bancroft Library, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley
Section Side: Verso empty.
Transcription: doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.05.0008&query=document%3D%23312
Translation: (2nd hand) Received in the 4th year, Mecheir 10. (1st hand) Horos to the topogrammateis and komogrammateis, greeting. Appended is a copy of the letter from Eirenaios the king's cousin and dioiketes, concerning the persons to be made to undertake the custody of the crops. You will therefore send us the lists of individuals in your district who are conspicuous for honesty and steadiness and live in the neighborhood with a statement of the extent of their several holdings and other property, so that the other arrangements may be made in accordance with the instructions. Good-bye. The 4th year, Mecheir 10. Eirenaios to Horos, greeting. Appended is a copy of the letter to Asklepiades. Give him therefore a list of persons who can be made to undertake the custody of the crops, and apply due zeal to the end that the other requirements may be carried out in accordance with the directions, understanding that you too will be held responsible for any neglect in this matter. The 4th year, Peritios 23, Choiak 23. To Asklepiades. Appended is a copy of the letter to Hermias, the overseer of the revenues … Regarding therefore the same instructions as issued to yourself also, take care that persons of repute are appointed to the posts of oikonomos and archiphulakites; and that the protection of the crops be managed in the manner directed, and the collection of dues for the treasury take place more punctually, and so no debts be incurred. To Hermias, through (?) Harneltotes, who is in the office of Horos the basilikos grammateus. Having given me instructions for my letter to you, and having also specified what was written to Theodotos, the official discharging the duties of oikonomos and archiphulakites, in which it was stated to be necessary that the decani of the police in the villages should be summoned to a general meeting, and that declarations on oath by the sovereigns as suggested by him should be taken with the approval of Theodotos concerning the protection of the annual crops, he began to be much astonished that after the severest treatment at the inquiry instituted against you for not having provided at the proper time for the collection of green stuffs and the other second crops, nor for the custody of the produce, and for not even using men of repute for the offices of oikonomos and archiphulakites, but without exception evil and worthless persons, you still continue in the same miserable course with no improvement whatever in your improper procedure. But be sure that you are liable to accusation; and, before it is too late, believing that you will receive no pardon for any neglect, see that suitable persons are appointed to the aforesaid offices, and display unremitting zeal in what tends to increase the revenue; and procure from the komogrammateis a list of those who can be made to undertake the custody of the produce from those in the army and the other inhabitants of the district who are living in the neighborhood and are conspicuous for honesty and steadiness, and appoint those fit to the posts in the villages; take from them and the phulakitai in each village two declarations upon oath by the sovereigns that they will provide in the best possible manner for the guardianship; and will allow none of the cultivators of crown land or land en aphesei to touch the green stuffs and the other second crops except those intended for the fodder of the animals used in agriculture, which shall be supplied with the approval of the komogrammateis, and except amounts to be collected for which the prices and securities shall be paid and deposited at the banks to meet the dues to the treasury in accordance with the regulations previously issued; and will take care that all else is rightly done in the summer and will convey the produce to the appointed places, and let nothing go until the proclamation concerning the release of crops is published, and unless everything has been duly delivered and the demands for previous years paid up. Similar declarations are (secondly) to be made by you or those set in charge of … and from the basilikos grammateus, that those coming to receive the surplus produce are not in debt, and that there is no lien upon it for other charges or causes, and that care is being taken in order that all may pay the treasury dues as soon as possible; and (thirdly) by the holders of posts as archiphulakites, that they will take care that this is accomplished in the manner aforesaid. Then deposit one copy of the declarations at the royal bank, and send the other to us; and make it your aim that proclamations are published in the villages to the effect that no one shall let loose animals upon land sown with grass and similar produce, or shall touch the other second crops without giving security as set forth above, and that the animals of those who disobey shall be confiscated to meet the rents. Above all be vigilant that the collection of all revenues be carried out more punctually and that it may not again occur to you to be involved in similar difficulties. In general consider how great an impulse attention to the matters indicated gives to business, and deem it an essential that there should be no lapse in anything that is expedient, and that by the continual invention of further improvements everything should proceed according to the method prescribed by us. For we will not accept as an excuse either force or anything else whatever, and any losses will be rigorously exacted from you. Whichever day you receive this letter, give notice of the fact.
Script Style: Two different hands, both regular cursives: 1, body of letter (lines 2-83); 2, notice of receipt (line 1).
Mounted: glass
Material: Pap
Margins: Margins: top, 3.8 cm.; left, 4.3 cm.; bottom, 3.6 cm.
Place: Ptolemais Euergetis?
Publication Status: published
Publisher: P.Tebt., I.27, Cols. I-III; Chrest. Wilck., no. 331.
Revision History: Marc rcd 02/20/1998 gk; rev 3/20/1998 pjr; checked pap. 7/11/2000 av.
Textual Date: 4th year of King Ptolemy IX Soter II, 10th of the Egyptian month Mecheir.
Primary Publication: P.Tebt.:1:27
Provenance
crocodile cartonnage at Tebtunis 27.31
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