p.oxy.6.900 30. Juli 321Oxyrhynchos

In the consulship of our masters Licinius Augustus for the 6th time and Licinius the most illustrious Caesar for the 2nd time, […] To Valerius Dioskourides also called Julianus, logistes of the Oxyrhynchite nome, from Aurelius Dioskoros son of Silvanus, former magistrate, councillor of the glorious and most glorious city of the Oxyrhynchites. Whereas I, being praepositus of the patrimonial estates of the tenth pagus of this nome, have further been nominated to the contract (conductoria) of the express post (oxys dromos) for the year which is happily beginning, it was therefore necessary that those who by custom fulfil this post, in respect of what is assigned annually for this purpose, should obey also us who have been entrusted with very many public charges, and should fulfil the post which they customarily fulfil, the expenses for these being provided to them. But since I learn that these men wish to obstruct so great and indispensable a service, some of them departing and others making false accusations, now that the days for taking up the liturgy have come round, I have therefore been driven to submit this petition, asking that the same donkey-drivers, Faustus, Horos and Chaireas, be compelled to hold everything for the services of the contract which they used to perform each year, and to provide everything themselves, obeying the annual officials, and that we through the same men may fulfil the service entrusted to us, and that I may not be put under the necessity of appealing to the higher authorities about this, since obstruction has occurred. In the aforesaid consulship, Mesore 6. I, Aurelius Dioskoros, have submitted this.