Report of chaff collectors

Description

A report of chaff and hay delivered by Seuthes and isidoros, chaff collectors of Karanis in 310/311. The opening statement of the present report has been lost, and with it the name and title of the oficial to whom it was addressed. A reasonable guess is that it was addressed to the praepositus of the ffth pagus who was active in that office when Seutheus and Isidoros served as chaff collectors, i.e. in 310/311. The text that remains falls into three parts. Lines 1-25 contain a series of receipts issued by Gerontios, receiver of chaff, between Dec. 3 and 21, 311. These are duplicates, with minor verbal differences, of the receipts in no 13, 28-53, where the full name of the receiver is given as Aurelius Gerontius, son of demetrius. We learn also from no 13, 26 that he was stationed at Akanthon, not far from the harbor of Kerke. The quantities of chaff mentioned in both sets of receipts agree exactly, as do the totals receorded in No 13, 54 and line 25 of the present report. Lines 26-35 have copies of two receipts given to Setheus and isidoros by Ammonios and Heron, receivers of chaff at Arsinoe. They acknowledge delivery of 2700 lbr on Pachon 30 and 1950 lbs. in Payni, amking a total of 4650 lbs. Lines 36-42 contain two receipts for hay issued by collectors whose names are mutilated. they acknowledge receipt of 1200 lbs in all. These deliveries of chaff and hay reach a total of 5850 lbs, and added to the 45.7000 lbs covered in the receipts attributed to gerontios, they yield the grand total of 51.550 lbs. recorded in l. 44. the amount of chaff remaining to be collecetd is entered in l. 45 as 53.050 lbs. Together, the quantity delivered and the quantity outstanding equal the total levy of 104.600 lbs reported in no 13, 21. It is interesting to note that for a part of the levy, although a relatively small part, hay was accepted in place of chaff.;None of the receipts supplied by lines 26-42 is repeated in the later report submitted by Setheus and isidoros to the auditor of the Heptanomia on July 31, 314 (no 13). All deliveries apart from those made to Gerontios are there comprehended in the summary statement of line 56 that the remaining quantity -58.900 lbs- was "brought in subsequenly". Between Feb. 19 and July 314, the chaff collectors of 310/311 discgarged their liturgical obligations in full by delivering 53050 lbs to receivers.;Lines 46-50 give the date by the consuls of 314 and the subscription of the collectors written for them by a hypographeus. This feature of the document indicates that it was a report secially prepared, like no 13., for the scrutiny of some higher official, probably as we have said above the praepositus of the fifth papus.