Petition [179-181 AD]
Draft of a petition to the epistrategos Klaudius Xenophon from a woman who insists on obtaining justice, in spite of her opponent's effort to avoid a trial
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 10561
Draft petition of Herakleia alias Rufina to the epistrategos Claudius Xenophon TM 10561Arsinoites (?)179 CE – 181 CE
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Draft of a petition to the epistrategos Claudius Xenophon from Herakleia also called Rufina, a citizen of Antinoopolis. She complains that her opponent keeps avoiding the courts, that she had already petitioned the former epistrategos Valens, who accepted the case, but the opponent could not be found, and she now seeks a hearing. It dates to about AD 179-181, probably from the Arsinoite nome.
In English machine translation
To Claudius Xenophon, the most excellent epistrategos,
from Herakleia also called Rufina, of Antinoopolis, daughter of Didymos son of Didymos also called Lourios, of the Matideian (tribe) and Kalliteknian (deme). Since, my lord, (my opponent) frequently puts forward (excuses) and avoids the courts with many delays, (and) ⟦…⟧ […] the courts […] the matters, doing wrong […] is a proof […] of him also with wicked (intent) […] and to be wary of the (judgment) from the tribunals […] […] they committed. I myself, therefore, being in very many wrongs and having been plundered by […] and […] of my sister, petitioned Valens, the former epistrategos, in very many petitions, asking to be heard; and Valens, learning that my request pertained to the epistrategia, undertook it, setting out the hearing through all the subscriptions. But since that man could not be found, and indeed was evading (me), the matter has been dragged out […] Since therefore in the meantime […] and him […] […] […] by the violence of my opponent […] according to the […] capital (charge?) […] of us hanging (?) […] just (?) […] needing […] jurisdiction […] helpless […]
The text is a draft with many deletions and insertions, and its latter part is badly damaged. The epistrategos was the senior Roman official over a group of Egyptian nomes.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Draft of a Petition to the Epistrategos). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
p.col.10.266
Κλαυδίῳ Ξενοφῶντι τῶι κρατίστῳ ἐπιστρατήγῳ παρὰ Ἡρακλείας τῆς καὶ Ῥουφίνας Ἀντιντόϊδος θυγατρὸς Διδύμου Διδύμου τοῦ καὶ Λουρίου Ματιδείου τοῦ καὶ Καλλιτεκνείου. ἐκ τοῦ πολλάκις, κύριε, προβάλλεσθαι καὶ φυγοδι… μετὰ πολλῶν εὐ ἀνακαλ δικαστήρια κεῖν …τὰ πράγματα κακουργουντ[…]…ἐστι…