Petition of Isidoros about a drunken break-in at his house in Karanis TM 10406Kom Aushim (Karanis)Oct. 24th 316 A.D.

To Aurelius Gerontius, praepositus of the 5th pagus, from Aurelius Isidoros son of Ptolemaios, from the village of Karanis. Although I own a great deal of land and am occupied with farming, and have no involvement with anyone in the village but keep to myself, I do not know how, yesterday at midday while I was in the fields, Kalas son of Onnophris and Seuthes son of Timotheos and Heras son of Seuthes and Paesis son of Apolinarios and Sotas son of Achillas and Serenis son of Ariston, from the same village, having no claim against me, heavily loaded with wine and trusting in the wealth with which they are surrounded, came upon our house with Arabs (?), broke down the doors, and once inside smashed the utensils we had for our service, carrying off whatever they found in the place; and if our womenfolk had not raised a shout, so that the people of the village made a rush to the place, they would perhaps have plotted even greater harm. Therefore, since such great shamelessness of theirs requires prosecution under the laws, and the doors and the smashed utensils are plain to see, I am compelled to submit this written petition, asking that they be brought before you so that what follows from the laws may be carried out, since I will not keep silent about these matters. Farewell. In the consulship of Sabinus and Rufinus, the most illustrious, Phaophi 27.