Petition to the Prefect
Petition addressed to the prefect Quintus Aemilius Saturninus by Gemellus alias Horion, concerning violent trespass made on his property by two men
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 12261
Petition to the prefect about violent trespass on inherited land TM 12261Karanis, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, province of EgyptSpring[?], 197 A.D.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Petition to the prefect of Egypt, Quintus Aemilius Saturninus, from Gemellus alias Horion, a landholder at Karanis, complaining that the brothers Julius and Sotas, sons of Eudas, violently trespassed on lands he had inherited from his father and uncle, after he had sown them. He asks the prefect to hear his case so he can keep his property. Written at Karanis in 197 AD.
In English machine translation
To Quintus Aemilius Saturninus, prefect of Egypt,
from Gemellus also called Horion, son of Gaius Apollinarius, of Antinoopolis, and however he is styled, landholder at Karanis in the Arsinoite nome, division of Herakleides.
Long ago, my lord, our father died leaving me and my sister as heirs, and we took possession of the property with no one opposing. Likewise it happened that my uncle Gaius Julius Longinus died eight years ago, and I took control of his property and collected the revenue with no one hindering me. But now Julius and Sotas, both sons of Eudas, wrongfully, violently and arrogantly have entered upon my lands after I had done the sowing, and have hindered me in them by the power they have in the locality, despising the weakness of my eyesight. Therefore I have fled to you, the saviour, asking, if it please your Fortune, to hear me against them, so that I may be able to hold on to my own property and be benefited by you, my lord.
Farewell.
⟦I, Gemellus also called Horion, have submitted this.⟧
⟦I, Sabinus, wrote on his behalf …⟧
The subscriptions were struck out by the scribe, suggesting this is a draft or copy. The petitioner stresses his poor eyesight, which his opponents exploited and which explains why someone else signed for him.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Petition to the Prefect concerning Trespass). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
Petition to the prefect
Petition addressed to the prefect Quintus Aemilius Saturninus by Gemellus alias Horion, concerning violent trespass made on his property by two men.
p.mich.6.422
Κυίντῳ Αἰμιλλίῳ Σατουρνείνῳ ἐπάρχῳ Αἰγύπτου παρὰ Γεμέλλου τοῦ καὶ Ὡρίωνος Γαίου Ἀπολιναρίου Ἀντινοέως καὶ ὡς χρηματίζει γεουχοῦντος ἐν Καρανίδι τοῦ Ἀρσινοείτου νομοῦ τῆς Ἡρακλείδου μερίδος. πρὸ πολλοῦ, κύριε, ὁ ἡμέτερος πατὴρ ἐτελεύτησεν ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀδελφῇ μου κληρονόμοις καὶ ἀν…