A loan contract from Syene in which Flavius Patermouthis, a soldier and boatman, borrows 3 1/3 gold solidi at interest from the boatman Aurelius Ioannes, pledging brass objects as security. It is witnessed by a centurion and two soldiers of the Syene regiment and dated to February 613 under Emperor Heraclius.
In English machine translation
[recto]
[…] of our most divine and most serene master Flavius Heraclius, the eternal Augustus and Imperator, year 3, Mecheir 15, first indiction.
Flavius Patermouthis son of Menas, soldier of the regiment of Elephantine, boatman from Syene, to Aurelius Ioannes son of Pityron, boatman from the same Syene, greetings. I, Patermouthis, acknowledge by this my written security that I have received and borrowed from you today for my urgent need 3 1/3 gold solidi by the standard of Syene, total 3 1/3 gold solidi by the standard of Syene, and these, God willing, I am ready to repay you whenever you wish, together with their interest of 1/4 gold carat per solidus per month from the aforewritten day, without any dispute. And I have pledged to you by way of security brass items (?) together weighing 24 1/2 pounds, my bowl (?) and […] containing 100 pounds, on condition that these be under your authority until repayment and full discharge of the gold secured by the pledge […]. And for security I have made this document, valid and binding wherever produced, and having been asked I have agreed.
† I, Flavius Kollouthos son of Alexandros, centurion of the regiment of Syene, witness. † ☧ I, Flavius Theodosios son of Apa Dios, soldier of the regiment of Syene, witness. ☧ I, Flavius Faustinus son of Pachymios, soldier of the regiment of Syene, witness. †
† Through me, Dios […]
[verso]
† Security of Patermouthis son of Menas, boatman from Syene; total 3 1/3 gold solidi by the standard of Syene.
Patermouthis is well known from the Patermouthis archive of Syene. The description of the pledged objects is partly illegible and uncertain in the Greek.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Loan of money (with security)). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.