Petition of Aurelia Maria to Abinnaeus about stolen and sheared sheep TM 10039Theoxenis (Arsinoites)5. Juli 346

To Flavius Abinnaeus, prefect of the ala of soldiers of the camp of Dionysias, from Aurelia Maria, daughter-in-law of Akiar, of the soldiers stationed at Memphis under Kollouthos the praepositus, landowner in the village of Theoxenis. On the second of the present month Epeiph, lord, some evildoers, using I know not what pretext and a robber's manner, came by night upon my sheep-field and, having sheared my sheep, 9 in number, carried off another 3 sheep alive. And the field-guards of the village of Theoxenis, searching into the shearing and driving off of the sheep, found in the field of Narmouthis Ioannes and Eleias as having done the shearing and driving off. For this very reason I ask and beseech your benevolence that you arrest them and compel them to confess the shearing and driving off of the sheep, and then refer what I have written to the knowledge of my lord the dux; for it is his task to punish those who dare such things. And having obtained this I shall acknowledge my gratitude to you, lord. Farewell. I, Aurelia Maria, daughter-in-law of Akiar, soldier, have submitted this. In the consulship of our masters Constantius for the 4th time and Constans for the 3rd time, Augusti, Epeiph 11.