A six-year lease in which two brothers, the farmers Theodoros and Sois, sons of Ioannes, rent 18 arouras of land in two plots near Hermopolis from an official (scriniarius) of the military office of the Thebaid. They agree to pay a yearly rent of 14 gold solidi less 28 carats, plus lentils and chaff, each Phaophi; the contract is dated 19 October 476.
In English machine translation
[recto]
†
After the consulship of Leo the Younger, of divine memory, year 1, Phaophi 22, 15th indiction.
[…] to the respected scriniarius of the military office (taxis) in the Thebaid […], from the Aurelii Theodoros son of Ioannes, mother Sophia, and his full brother Sois, of the same parents both, farmers from the same city. We acknowledge, being mutual sureties and mutually responsible for each other, […] that we have voluntarily and of our own free will leased from your admirableness […] for a period of six years from the crops of the fortunate coming first indiction […] the 18 arouras belonging to your admirableness situated in […] of the same city in two locations: in one location, near the farm called Pa…am[…], 12 arouras, and in the other location, on the east of the so-called […], the remaining arouras […], to be sown with whatever crops we choose, at the rent mutually agreed for these, fixed per year, of 14 imperial gold solidi of good quality less 28 carats on the public standard of the same city, total 14 gold solidi less 28 carats, which gold rent we shall pay jointly in the month of Phaophi of each year, annually; and in addition to the aforesaid gold rent we shall supply 4 artabas of lentils and 16 artabas of arakos chaff. The lease is valid and secure, and having been asked the formal question we gave our assent.
We, the Aurelii Theodoros son of Ioannes and his brother Sois, the aforesaid, have leased jointly as stated above. I, Aurelius Taurinos son of Asemios, from Hermopolis, having been asked, wrote on their behalf because they do not know letters.
I, […]phibi[…], deacon from Hermopolis, witness the lease, having heard it from those who made it.
I, Aurelius Theoph[…] son of […]nos, from Hermopolis, witness the lease, having heard it from those who made it.
I, Aurelius […] son of […]stion, from Hermopolis, witness the lease, having heard it from those who made it.
[…] it was written by […]
[verso]
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A scriniarius was a records or finance clerk in a late Roman office; arakos is a leguminous fodder plant (a kind of vetch). The rent formula 'solidi less carats' reflects the late Roman practice of deducting carats (1/24 solidus) from the full coin count.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Pachtvertrag). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.