Certificate, Roman CE 250, Jun 14
For sacrificing to the gods; libellus of Decian persecutions
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 20403
Certificate of sacrifice of Aurelius L[…]thion and his children TM 20403OxyrhynchosRoman CE 250, Jun 14
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
This is a libellus, a certificate of sacrifice issued under the emperor Decius's order that all inhabitants sacrifice to the gods. Aurelius L[…]thion of Oxyrhynchus declares to the sacrificial commissioners that he, his son Aurelius Dioskoros and his daughter Aurelia Lais have sacrificed, poured libations and tasted the offerings, and asks them to countersign. It is dated 14 June 250.
In English machine translation
To those in charge of the sacred rites and sacrifices of the city,
from Aurelius L[…]thion, son of Theodoros, his mother being Pantonymis, from the same city. I have always continued sacrificing and pouring libations to the gods, and now also in your presence, in accordance with the orders, I have poured libations and sacrificed and tasted the sacred offerings, together with my son Aurelius Dioskoros and my daughter Aurelia Lais. I ask you to sign below for me.
Year 1 of Imperator Caesar Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius Pius Felix Augustus, Pauni 20.
[…]
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Such libelli were required under Decius's edict of 249/250, often linked with the persecution of Christians. The officials' countersignature, which would have followed the date, is lost.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Certificate of Pagan Sacrifice). 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.oxy.4.658
τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ θυσιῶν πόλεως παρʼ Αὐρηλίου Λ[…] θίωνος Θεοδώρου μητρὸς Παντωνυμίδος ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως. ἀεὶ μὲν θύων καὶ σπένδων τοῖς θεοῖς διετέλεσα ἔτι δὲ καὶ νῦν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν κατὰ τὰ κελευσθέντα ἔσπεισα καὶ ἔθυσα καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν ἐγευσάμην ἅμα τῷ υἱῷ μου Αὐρηλίῳ Διοσκόρ…