One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 16866
Letter from Demetrios to Abinnaeus about seizing smuggled natron TM 16866Alexandriaca. 346
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A letter from Demetrios to Aminnaios (Abinnaeus), commander (praepositus) of the fort at Dionysias, repeating an earlier request that he seize any natron being smuggled through the Arsinoite nome, since natron was a state monopoly. Demetrios asks for news to be sent to his people at Terenouthis or Alexandria; it dates to about AD 346.
In English machine translation
[recto]
To my lord brother Aminnaios,
Demetrios.
In another letter too I informed your nobility that whatever natron you find coming down, whether through Mareotes or through Egyptians, in the Arsinoite nome or in other places, you should hold it back; and I think you have not received the letter, for I have had no letter from your nobility about this matter. And now through our servant Sarapion, who is going up to the Oasis, I report the same things, so that he may keep guard with all fairness over the treasury natron, and that you may detain all those whom you find, together with their animals. Make haste to inform us, either our people at Terenouthis or in Alexandria, and do you yourself give orders about whatever you wish, lord brother, so that we too may carry out with all eagerness what is ordered by your disposition. I pray that you are well for many years,
lord brother.
Tybi 1
[verso]
To my lord brother Aminnaios, praepositus,
Demetrios
Natron, used for washing and embalming, was a treasury monopoly, so 'treasury natron' refers to this state-controlled supply. Mareotes are people from the Mareotis region near Alexandria; the letter belongs to the archive of Flavius Abinnaeus.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. 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.abinn.9
[r] κυρίῳ μου ἀδελφῷ Ἀμινναίῳ Δημήτριος. καὶ διʼ ἑτέρων γραμμάτων ἐδήλωσα τῇ εὐγενείᾳ σου ὥστε ὅσα νίτρα καταλαμβάνεις εἴτε διὰ Μαρεωτῶν εἴτε διὰ Αἰγυπτίων κατερχόμενα ἐν τῇ Ἀρσινοειτῶν ἢ καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις τόποις ταῦτα ἐπέχειν, καὶ νομίζω μὴ δεδέχθαι σε τὰ γράμματα, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔσχον π…