Petition to a centurion about seized hay and a jointly inherited plot TM 11981Soknopaiou Nesos, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of EgyptApril 18, 193 A.D.

To Ammonius Paternus, centurion, from Melas son of Horion, from the village of Soknopaiou Nesos, priest of the god who is in the village. There belongs to me and to my cousins Phanesis and Harpagathes, jointly and in equal shares, inherited from our maternal grandfather, in the same village, an open walled plot where we store each year the hay we have. Now since one of them, Harpagathes, has recently died and his share has passed to both of us in equal parts, yesterday, which was the 22nd, while I was storing our hay in the plot, Phanesis came upon me violently and arrogantly and appropriated my hay, not allowing me to store it in our share, attempting thereby to drive me out and to claim for himself alone what belongs to me; and not only this, but he also subjected me to the utmost insult. Therefore I ask you to order that he be summoned, so that I may obtain fairness from you. Farewell. Year 1 of Publius Helvius Pertinax Augustus, Pharmouthi 23.